At NPE2012, Macro Engineering and Technology, Mississauga, Ont., launched new technology to  extrude foamed films in what it describes as an “environmentally friendly process” that uses inert gas as the foaming agent.

NPE had its share of innovations in thermoforming, notably a new machine that opens the small-bottle market to thermoformers. New trim stations offer more in the way of output and versatility. And more machines are now outfitted with off-the-shelf controls to facilitate servicing. A line of formers from Australia also arrived in the U.S. (Note: additional NPE thermoforming news appeared in May and June—see Learn More box.)

For thermoforming of both heavy-gauge sheet and thin-gauge packaging, the show will present new machines with unusual flexibility, able to form a wide variety of products and materials.

A new quick-cut trim tool from Commodore Technology, Bloomfield, N.Y., features a polyurethane punch plate on the moving side for faster trimming of PS foam trays.