0n the 30 th April, in Dusseldorf the largest international seven-day exhibition of packing material, packaging & confectionary equipment “Interpack 2008” finished. In sum, 179 000 specialists from all over the world attended this exhibition. It is significant to note that 65% of attendees were entitled to make a decision in the name of their companies. Although most visitors (62%) were from Europe, there was an increase in the number of guests from Asian countries & South America .

2 744 exhibitors from 121 countries presented their expositions at the exhibition. Many attendees (97%) have declared their intention of taking part in “Interpack 2011” .

St. Petersburg machinery plant “Tauras-Fenix” arranged its showcase at this exhibition for the third consecutive time. This year, efficient automatic line “Pastpack 4L” as well as universal jigging machine “Pitpack OP- 2” were presented. This equipment satisfied the attendees needs because 78 % of ones were interested in packaging machinery and 14% - in processing lines for production of confectionery.

Thus, the participation at the exhibition of such a high level allows Russian manufacturers to make a demonstration of their progress in researching and production of filling & packaging machinery. Also, it is an integral part of establishing business relations with consumers from different countries.

From 18 th till 21 st of March VI international forum “Dairy industry 2008 ” was held in Moscow . Modern exhibition centre “Krockus Expo” has become a demonstration place for innovation and progress in the field of production. It gave an opportunity to establish direct contact with specialists from Russia , CIS and foreign countries.

St.Petersburg machinery plant “Tauras-Fenix” exhibited a vertical automatic machinery Pitpack MG designed for filling & packaging of liquid and paste products (milk, kefir, yogurt, mayonnaise etc.) into heat-sealing bags as well as efficient modernized automatic line Pastpack 4L . It is designed for dozed packing of liquid and paste products (mayonnaise, sour cream, yogurt, cream, melted cheese etc.) with free-flowing or soft easy deformable additives up to 10 mm (fruits, chocolate or waffles chips etc.) in plastic cups.

At the scientific-practical conference which was held within the bounds of forum Gennadiy Yakovlevich Abelev, Director of Sales Department of “Tauras-Fenix” Co submitted a report “Modern weighing-and-filling equipment. Tendencies”. He brought up a topic concerning dairy products market and packaging equipment requirements.

Machinery plant “Tauras-Fenix” thanked to all company display attendees as well as listeners of the scientific-practical conference and we hope to establish effective mutually beneficial cooperation.

      Now the automatic machine Pastpack VK can be used for filling and packaging liquid & paste products as well as small-piece products (e.g. mini – sausage salami) in bags of “Doy Pack” type. “Tauras-Fenix” has designed this modification for concern “FIVE STARS”, which belongs to the holding “ Kronshtadskiy meat-processing plant”.

Pastpack VK is equipped with double flow weigher on the rolling support that enables to fill & pack mini-sausages. But at first this automatic machine was supplied with standard liquid filler meant for liquid & paste products (mayonnaise, ketchup) filling & packaging.

The modified machine has high accuracy of proportioning. Productivity is 12-14 packs/min.

A bag contains six sausages. Bag size is 105?185mm, packaged product size is 40- 50 mm in length and 40- 50 mm in diameter. Weight of a bag containing sausages – salami is 35 gr. It is possible to increase the quantity of sausage-salami in the bag when the package size is bigger.

All processes are carried out automatically and necessary information is on LCD. Hoppers and chutes are made of stainless steel. They are easily dismantled for cleaning that complies with sanitary code.

Product taste properties are kept due to hermetical package. Date is printed by thermo printer on the bag upper seam automatically. We think many people will like salami packaged by this way. We are sure that such kind of meat snack (“Salamki”) will be very popular in a short time!

On the 14 th of November in Smolney Palace at awarding ceremony the machine-building plant “Tauras-Fenix” was rewarded with Diploma of St. Petersburg Prize for Quality (the company took the 2 nd place). The Diploma was signed by the governor Valentina Matvienko.

“Tauras-Fenix” Co has celebrated its 20 th anniversary this year. The machine-building plant produces more than one hundred kinds of up-to-date, high-quality, efficient equipment for food, processing and other industries. The machinery produced by “Tauras-Fenix” is distributed throughout the country and abroad.

The annual St. Petersburg Prize for quality established by the governor in 1997 also has celebrated its anniversary. The Prize is meant to encourage St. Petersburg organizations which have achieved considerable results in product or services quality as well as have worked in practice high-performance methods of quality management. There were two nominations – industrial enterprises and human services organizations in the competition. The member organizations were divided into three groups depending on staff number. Eighty companies from the region took part in the nomination “Industrial enterprises”. “Tauras-Fenix” Co was rewarded with Diploma in this nomination in the “medium-sized enterprises” group (workers number is from 101 to 1000).

he representatives of St. Petersburg Government, as well as business community, scientific groups and civil society organizations are present at the annual solemn awarding ceremony.

The vice-governor Michael Oseevskey congratulated winners and presented them with Diplomas and Competition Certificates for Quality . The Director General of “Tauras-Fenix” Co Efim Grishpun noticed the Prize significance for upgrading of product quality of industrial production .

Self-certification was conditio sine qua non for the companies purposed to take part in this competition. The self- certification was realized at eight points:

•  leading role of Company Management;
•  organization policy & strategy concerning quality;
•  staff;
•  partnering and recourses;
•  activities carried out by the organization;
•  consumers satisfaction with products/services quality;
•  staff satisfaction;
•  organization influence on society as well as working data of the company.

All company departments were engaged in consideration of self-certification. Also, company's both strength and weaknesses were revealed (in comparison with competitors). After that, the company planned the directions for further development.

he machine-building plant “Tauras-Fenix” thanks the government of St. Petersburg for appreciation and confidence.

On the 26 th of October we celebrated “Tauras-Fenix” Co anniversary. In honour of this outstanding event the company employees were invited to the celebration where different presents, shows, surprises were prepared for them. The Russian head-liners – Sergey Galanin with group “Serga” as well as Maxim Leonidov performed at the festivity. Dmitrey Chrustalev & Victor Vasiliev, the residents of Comedy Club were joking and amusing audience the whole evening.

“Merry mood & friendly atmosphere” was the holiday slogan. The official name of the holiday was – “Birthday of Tauras-Fenix Family”. The atmosphere in the manner of Chicago in the thirties was created in an assembly hall. Walls of the hall were decorated with pink fabric as well as with daguerreotypes in massive gilded frames. Columns were decorated with vinous cloth.

Magnificent ad lib of Jazz Police and girls in black dresses welcomed guests. Judge by the group name, musicians from Jazz Police are admirers of Leonard Cohen . Cabaret dancers performed different dances, for example cancan, just as in old American films. The guests took delight in both fascinating voice and beautiful dresses of amazing blonde Anastasia Voskresenskaya.

The evening formal part was begun with congratulations of two Presidents: the President of the Russian Federation - Vladimir Putin (Dmitrey Chrustalev played this role) and the President of “Tauras-Fenix” Co – Sigitas Mitscus. The President of the machine-building plant wished employees good luck, strong health and happiness with all his heart.

Then Chrustalev and Vasiliev continued to entertain the guests and to organize various competitions. Barmen Gleb Volkov & Dmitrey Gromov showed their art of jugglery with bottles. Luminous pieces of ice in glasses looked effectively.

There came a time to reward employees (“The best in professional occupation”) with diplomas and memorable statuettes from blue crystal. There were 19 persons awarded. Sigitas Mitscus congratulated all recipients personally and wished good luck.

The partners and friends came to congratulate “Tauras-fenix” that day. There were “Yamaha-centre”- the musical instruments salon, “ Bali ” restaurant, limited liability company “Zdoroveye”, “PneumoElectroService” company,“Tauras-Fitness” &“Tauras-Med” centres among them. Ukrainian guests also came. They showed their appreciation and made gifts to the company. Many prizes were raffled off. Lucky beggars got nice souvenirs to the funny comments of Chrustalev and Vasiliev as well as to the people friendly laughter. Thereafter, Eugeney Kiselev and Yaroslav Drozdov performed a tap-dance. Then people were asked to go outside because it was time for festive salute! Millions of multicolored stars had been scattered in the sky. Splendid sight!

Meanwhile one more surprise was prepared for guests – the group “Serga” performance. The musicians congratulated the company staff and wished joy and happiness but above all they wished love. Sergey Galanin sang both his own songs such as “Odinochnitsa” (devoted to famous figure skater Maria Butyrskaya), “Wonderland”, “Warm Air from Roofs” and songs of other famous groups (The Beatles, Pink Floyd) and singers (Luis Armstrong).

After Sergey Galanin performance DJ Danila Mart entertained the audience. Pretty girls from the group “Go-Go” in bright costumes were dancing to music stimulating people. But the employees of “Tauras-Fenix” were the best in dancing.

However, the guests were waiting impatiently for rock legend Maxim Leonidov. Maxim Leonidov congratulated the company with the anniversary and sang his famous songs: “ Leningrad time”, “Sara Baraba” etc.

Happy members of “Tauras-Fenix” shared impressions with each other. The celebration was warm and without ceremony. Every person felt himself very important and required. One and all were a part of the big family!

We thanked people who shared our joy with us that great day, for “Tauras-Fenix” great day! And of course, we thanked the Company Management for this grandiose holiday!

Machine-building plant “Tauras-Fenix” took part in the 12 th international exhibition “ AGROPRODMASH - 2007 ” , which was held in ‘Expocentr', Moscow, from 15 th till 19 th of October . The exhibition dates coincided with ‘TaurasFenix' Co. birthday which is celebrated on the 18 th of October. This year the largest plant producing filling & packaging machinery celebrates the 20 th anniversary.

On the 18 th of October the stand of “Tauras-Fenix” Co was decorated with balloons and flowers. The buffet was organized for our clients and partners as well as champagne was proposed to all attendees. The members of the press also attended this exhibition. T. Piskareva, the director of exhibition “ AGROPRODMASH - 2007 ” congratulated our company with this anniversary. A lot of kind words and good wishes were said. The corporate magazine was given to all visitors. This issue of magazine devoted to the festive event, told about the history of “Tauras-Fenix” Co, from the foundation day till nowadays.

Annually, “Tauras-Fenix” Co designs and launches onto the market the exclusive models of equipment for food & processing industries. All new models are shown in the largest branch-wise conferences both in Russia and abroad.

At “AGROPRODMASH- 2007” we exhibited vertical packaging machinery for free-flowing products Pitpack Smart equipped with multi-head weighing filler DVK210-R, efficient horizontal automatic machine for piece products packaging in bags of “flow-pack” type Linepack-F3 , automatic in-line machine for packaging liquid and paste products Pastpack R , versatile automatic jigging machine Pitpack-OP2. The equipment shown when in use was in great interest.

Machine-building plant “Tauras-Fenix” thanks all who has attended the company stand at the international exhibition ““ AGROPRODMASH - 2007 ” in Moscow . We look forward to further effective and mutually beneficial co-operation.

St. Petersburg machine-building plant “Tauras-Fenix” has started full-scale production of twin-system containing fourteen-stream three-level multi-head weighing filler and two vertical automatic machines “Pitpack” designed to fill & package various kinds of free-flowing and small-pieces products: cookies, spice-cakes, crackers, bonbons, drops, groats, macaroni. It also makes possible to fill & package frozen products (e.g. ravioli) in three-seam bags.

Pitpack M, Pitpack M2 or Pitpack Smart can be included in the twin-system.

The new system is equipped with two discharge conveyors, one feeding conveyor and a trestlework. It can be operated by one worker. Thus, the customer can save on both working area and budget.

The twin-system features high efficiency and dosing accuracy. The multi-head weighing filler is furnished with additional weighing baskets that allow achieving the highest possible capacity – 160 portions/min.

Capacity of twin-system containing fourteen-stream three-level multi-head weighing filler and two automatic machines “Pitpack Smart” is 120 packs/min. This system was produced for Joint Stock Company “Shocoladnaya fabrika”, Novosibirsk , which is a part of holding company “United confectioneries”. The above-mentioned twin-system is designed for filling & packaging of candies. It allows dosed weighing (allsorts) – two kinds of candies in one bag. If the system is equipped with two automatic machines “Pitpack M2”, its capacity will be the highest possible – up to 160 three-seam bags/min.

    The designers of the machine works “Tauras-Fenix” (St.Petersburg) have modernized the universal machine Pitpack OP2, designed for jigging & cutting of confectionery half-finished products onto a baking tray. A double hopper for two-colored products with/without stuffing is a new option of Pitpack OP2.

    Pastry of two colors combined into one product at double hopper outlet forms two-colored cookies on baking tray. To produce multicolored confectionery filled with fruit butter, jam or jelly the jigging machine Pitpack OP2 is completed with a stuffing feeding station (installed separately in the position convenient for operation) as well as with a stuffing filler.

A special heating hopper designed for stuffed/non-stuffed zephyr jigging is another innovation. When cooling zephyr consistence changes, so it's necessary to hold certain temperature in the hopper to jig zephyr on baking tray. A special feeder doesn't damage classical marshmallow delicate mass in jigging.

arious nozzles allow making pastry of any form (round/square/ three-cornered etc.). The multipurpose jigging machine Pitpack OP2 is suitable for using at the enterprises producing confectionery of all kinds to meet clients' fantastical wishes. Especially as it's easy and quickly to re-set – one needs to replace hoppers, rollers and extrusion units. The jigging mode is selected on the touch display.

     A specialized machine Turbopack-180 has won an international tender, in that way exceeding all our expectations.

     This spring, constructors of machine-building works “Tauras-Fenix Co.” launched specialized machine “Turbopack-180” to package bottles with deodorant stick. The new machine features only one assembly unit and sealing head which allow forming bottles with deodorant in two flows on the conveyor.

     This brings positive influence on the machine productivity (20packs/minute for 10 cycles – twice as many!). There is no similar equipment at the enterprise. By the way, “Tauras-Fenix Co” won a tender for the supply of machine to package deodorant and left behind Czech and Italian producers.

     “The idea of creation such specialized packaging equipment was discussed for a long time with “Yunilever” company management, which has been using our machine for 7 years. And we succeeded in realizing this project”, - “Tauras-Fenix Co” designers said. Recently, the company “Yunilever” has ordered the second Turbopack-180 for transport package of stick-deodorant.

      Machine-building works “Tauras-Fenix Co.” launched a new Turbopack-2A        machine to form a transport group package of PET-bottles with food (beer, lemonade) and non-food products (household chemicals, automobile cosmetics). Also, following products can be packaged: soft drinks (in aluminum cans), jam, marinade, ketchup, baby food (glass cans). Items of cylindrical shape to be packaged might be of various sizes to meet specific customers’ requirements.

      This machine features two independent sealing heads that allow achieving high capacity - 15~16 packages/min. Turbopack-2A suits well to run together with a bottling line (6000 bottles/hour). Implementation of simple transmission system makes this machine more reliable. Turbopack-2A has been created based on well proven previous models of Turbopack. Thus, we can say with certainty that high quality of our new equipment is ensured.

      Turbopack-2A is equipped with a block forming control device as well as with a film availability sensor. Machine is controlled from a touch panel. Machine is provided with operator friendly interface.

      Machine features wear resistance and longer service life thanks to use of special materials and coatings.

       For 20 years machine-building enterprise “Tauras-Fenix Co” has been producing a wide array of equipment suitable for various food processing enterprises. Thus, form, fill & seal machine Pastpack-OR with an open rotary disk is widely used in dairy factories. On its basis Pastpack-OR for fish industry has been developed this spring.

       This is a new model to fill and package canned goods. Seafood stacked in a plastic container is filled up with pickle, mayonnaise or oil and capped. Volumetric filler to fill pasty products (e.g. fish pate) is incorporated in the machine.  Food tank (capacity up to 29 L) is furnished with a product level optical sensor.

       Upon request a discharge conveyor can be equipped with a labeler to apply self-sticking labels.

      Tauras Fenix Co., machine building company, offered to the market two new versatile vacuum-molding machines Unipack-Mega. These machines are designed to produce large size items from thermoplastic materials by vacuum molding process.  

      They can mold items 1500 * 2000 mm and up to 400 mm deep (and bigger) rom plastic sheets up to 8 mm thick.  Heating panel is comprised of 96 ceramic infra-red heating elements each of which can work independently. This allows creating a heating zone at any required points in the sheet. Heating power range can be from 0 % to 100 % and temperature of a heater can be as high as 700⁰С.  Machines feature an optional function of performing diagnostics of every heater and detecting a failed heating element.  

      Control system of the machines is based on industrial controllers and operator’s panel. Controller facilitates selecting operation conditions and setting process variables:  heating temperature; heating and cooling time. And this ensures high quality of products.  

Unipack- Mega machines can run both manually and semi-automatically. Operator performs all the required operations in a manual operation mode. When machine runs in a semi-automatic mode an operator has to place a sheet on a table and press it with a frame; as soon as the process is over he has to remove a ready product.

      Vacuum system is comprised of a vacuum pump 100 м³/hour and 800 L receivers. There are eight vacuum injecting points in the table to create areas under vacuum where they are required. Heating panel moves swiftly in the machine thanks to motor –gear box set and use of chain drive. There are dividing bars that allow forming products of smaller sizes provided with a machine.

      Tauras-Fenix Co. has just introduced vertical filling & packaging machine Pitpack “Smart” of quite a new design to the market.  This machine automatically fills and packages dry loose, granulated, crystalline and powder food and non-food   products in bags made of any heat sealable materials.One can make various bags on this machine: pillow-type bags; flat bottom bags. Also, it is possible to make either an overlapped or butt longitudinal joint on the bags. Max bag width is 200 mm; height is 320 mm; flat bottom perimeter cannot be bigger than 400 mm.

      Pitpack “Smart” is a member of the automatic vertical filling & packaging machine family produced by Tauras-Fenix Co. along with Pitpack and Pitpack M. In spite of rather modest dimensions (1,500 x 1,100 x 1,385 mm) this machine displays surprisingly high efficiency: 90 bags per minute! That is why this machine can be a most advantageous bargain for customers aiming at expansion of production output without use of bulky filling and packaging machines. Pitpack “Smart” can run with various kinds of fillers (weighing, volumetric, auger, multihead) manufactured by Tauras-Fenix Co. A wide variety of products can be handled by Pitpack “Smart”: salt, cereals, macaroni, ravioli, many others.

      We are going to exhibit Pitpack “Smart” as a novelty at the trade fair Upakovka / UpakItalia 2007 to be held at the Expocenter on Krasnaya Presnya in Moscow on January 30 ~ February 2, 2007.  You are welcome to visit our booth No. 3055, Hall 3, Pavilion 2.

      Tauras-Fenix Co. produces fillers of not less than 15 kinds to handle dusty, dry loose, granular, crystalline, small size piece products as well as liquid and pasty products. We have added a new volumetric rotary filler to this line of machinery.

      There has been implemented a principally new technical design in this filler totally eliminating damage of handled products and also reducing filling time. Thus you can use this unit to dose fill a wide array of dry or piece products (dia 20 mm) without any fear for the appearance of products. This filler can be used separately or as a unit of various types of vertical packaging machines made by Tauras-Fenix Co. Some words about operation of this machine. Products from a products tank come to the dose weighing disk at the command of a level sensor. This sensor is continuously controlling products level required to fill dosing cups mounted on rotary disks. The disks are rotated in discrete motions by a Geneva cross to fill cups and transfer products to a discharge area for further packaging.   

      We can offer fillers of two modifications that differ only in sizes. The first one can fill up to 90 portions per minute from 40 to 300 cm³. The other one has capacity of up to 60 portions per minute from 250 to 850 cm³.As standard the fillers are furnished with cups 160 ~ 325 cm³ and 400 ~ 800 cm³. Upon request we can make cups of different volume. Dosing error is not more than 1 % if dose volume is not bigger than 100 сm³. If this volume exceeds 100 сm³ error cannot be bigger than 0.5 %.  

      These fillers proved to reliably run with various groceries.

      Two bottling lines to handle quiet liquids have been recently commissioned at the customers’ sites. These machines are designed to fill and package milk, yoghurt, water, juices, ketchup, oil as well as non-food products in PET-PE bottles with their further capping with caps provided with a safety collar. For some years already Tauras-Fenix Co. has been designing and manufacturing bottling lines ensuring the most favorable conditions to handle various liquid products in one and the same production line. As standard a line comprises a facility to decontaminate the inner surface of bottles. Prior to filling products all the bottles are treated by UV. One of the lines can be additionally furnished with ozonized water treatment system to flush inner surface of bottles.

Each line has a volumetric tank (80 l) and a filler to fill 8 bottles at a time. Capping unit with a magnet clutch tightens caps having a safety collar. In addition the two lines are furnished with a plate conveyor. On customers’ request one of the lines can be equipped with an air transport to feed bottles to the conveyor.

Both lines can handle PET-PE bottles, 0.3 to 1.1 liter at speed of 3,000 bottles/hour. Bottling lines are made of stainless steel to accommodate humid environment. A first one is to be shipped to a dairy factory in the Khabarovsk area in Far East of Russia. A second line extended with Turbopack – A , an automatic unit to form unitized transport packages, shall be operated in the Ukraine. The lines are designed to package cream, kefir, yoghurt that can contain pieces of fruit.

      Machine building company Tauras-Fenix Co. has just produced a line to fill food and non-food dry loose products in ready-made containers. This new line comprises auger filler on the stand; conveyor; accumulating table and a dust exhausting unit. The machinery is designed to accurately fill spices, salt, dried milk, starch, ground coffee as well as cleansing powders and other similar products in plastic containers of various shapes and capacity. Production facilities of the factory allow developing similar filling machinery to handle any kind of containers to meet customers’ requirements. We presently offer a line to fill salt in round plastic cups of 200 g. 

      There are two more machines being currently developed at the factory. One of them is also designed to handle salt and the other one shall be filling detergents. Rotary auger is used in this filler to dose fill products into cups. The line is very handy in operation. One must just pour the products to be filled into a feeding hopper through a ferrule. There is an agitator inside the hopper that is rotating and moving products towards the auger. Then the products go along the auger tube to the pouring funnel the mouth of which corresponds to the specific container. Products come from the funnel to the cups moving on a conveyor. The capacity of this filling line for dry loose products is up to 45 doses per minute.