PACE Mechanical Handling will be joined by Spanish packing machinery giant Innova at this year’s PPMA Total Show.

PACE was appointed as Innova’s first-ever UK representative last year and has exclusive access to the company’s range of end-of-line strapping and wrapping packaging machinery, including its Stretch Hood system.

Unique to the UK market, the Stretch Hood system guarantees total protection against humidity, rain and dust due to the tightness of the wrapping and properties of the Stretch Hood film, which envelopes palletised products from above to the base.

As well as being the only system that delivers completely waterproof protection, Stretch Hood uses the minimal amount of film possible, reducing material and energy costs.

Stretch Hood is the only system that prepares the film precisely to the size of the load to be packaged. The tubular film is slightly smaller than the contour of the load as the Stretch Hood machine stretches and applies the film to fit the dimensions of the load, sealing it completely.

Innova, which was established in 2001 and is headquartered in Castellón, Spain, says that the film used by the Stretch Hood system is one of the most advanced materials available, being a multilayer LLPDE polymer composition, offering waterproof protection and exceptional stretching capabilities.

The Stretch Hood system complements PACE’s range of automated packing machinery, which includes the Gemini twin head weigher, Orion Weigher, Orion Weigher and sack placer and the CBC sack placer and stitcher line, all of which will be promoted at the PPMA Total Show. As well as its own machines, PACE has a long-standing partnership with Motoman of Japan, allowing it to offer a wide range of robots, from pick and place up to specialist heavy lifting models.

“We are really looking forward to the PPMA Total Show. Having Innova on our stand will give visitors a fantastic opportunity to learn more about the Stretch Hood system and our ability to develop bespoke automated packing solutions,” says Nick Cesare, PACE’s managing director. “2023 has been fantastic for us so far, and it’s looking like it will be a record-breaking year. In the first eight months of 2023, we have beaten our previous best year, which was 2018, when we saw turnover reach seven figures.

“I think we’ve benefited from several factors. Most industries are currently looking for ways to cope with labour shortages, and they’re looking to pack more quickly and effectively. Automation and robotic packing and palletising are therefore increasingly popular with them.”

To learn more about PACE Mechanical and its automated solutions and the Stretch Hood system from Innova, visit stand G14 at the PPMA Total Show.