1. Objectives of JPMA

JPMA was established in January 1967. Its objectives are to promote the general development of Japan's packaging machinery industry and thereby contribute to the nation's economic and social prosperity and the improvement of the people's life, through conducting researches on packaging/packing machinery and related equipment, promoting the machinery safety, conducting personnel education, and gathering and providing packaging-related information.
When JPMA was founded in 1967, the membership was 44 companies and Japan's total output of packaging machinery was no more than 39 billion yen. Thirty years later, the membership rose to 253 companies and the country's total output increased 11.5 fold to 450 billion yen, making Japan one of the largest packaging machinery producing countries in the world.


2. Main Activities

A special committee consisting of academics and experts is conducting R&D on the technologies to advance packaging equipment, save energy and improve safety and hygiene. When necessary, the committee designs a trial model and makes public the latest technologies employed in such a model to encourage packaging equipment manufacturers to make use of them. The committee has successfully developed technologies for incorporating in packaging equipment a microcomputer, servo motor and energy saving heat pipe. As a result, these technologies have had practical application in Japan for the first time in the world.
Now underway is a research on the technology to automatically feed difficult-to-feed products to packaging equipment.

1) Packaging Machinery Technology Prize

Awarded to those who have developed excellent new packaging machines and related equipment, made distinct improvements in existing equipment or developed innovative methods of equipment design and manufacture. The prize was founded in 1991 to invite the public every two years to join in the contest for the best achievements. The objective of the prize is to advance the level of equipment technology for the development of the packaging machinery industry as a whole by promoting a widespread use of prize winning technologies.
The prize winners are commended in a ceremony where they announce their achievements, and the achievements are made public through JPMA's Packaging Machinery News.
Contestants are being invited for the 4th (fiscal 1997) Packaging Machinery Technology Prize.

• Application deadline: September 5 (Fri.), 1997
• Deadline for submitting a paper: November 5 (Wed.), 1997

2) Packaging Machinery Inspection Center

Established in 1987 for the promotion of safety and hygiene of packaging equipment. For equipment safety, the Center is providing three different services, advice, guidance and inspection, in conformity with the "Safety and Sanitation Standards for Packaging Machinery" which the Center revised in 1986. For safety inspection, an inspection committee composed of third persons examines inspection results to decide whether the equipment is up to the safety standards. If the equipment meets the standards, it is qualified to bear a "PASS" mark on it. So far 72 different types of packaging machines have been qualified to bear the mark.
The Center is also providing advice and guidance to those members who are trying to meet relevant EC Directives and Standards. It is also assisting the members in meeting the requirements of both ISO 9000 and ISO 14000 series.

3) PL Center

Set up in 1995 for the member companies to be able to obtain advice and guidance from the Center's legal and technical experts for the prevention and settlement of product liability cases. The Center is also engaged in the activities to improve equipment safety and to educate the members in safety measures.

4) Packaging School

Established in 1974 to provide educational courses to engineers and sales engineers of packaging machinery manufacturers, packaging material manufacturers and end users. The School is offering three different courses, packaging machinery design course, technical course for packaging engineers and microcomputer control technology course. Over the past 23 years, a total of about 2,400 students graduated from the school and many of them are now playing a leading role in their work.
The 24th class of the School started in June 1997 with 131 students enrolled.

5) International exchange

As a member of C.O.P.A.M.A. (Confederation of Packaging Machinery Associations), an international body with a membership of 12 associations in Asia, Europe and North America, JPMA is cooperating with the other members in contributing to the development of the world's packaging machinery industry. JPMA is also actively engaged in the interchange with relevant organizations of the world to introduce Japanese packaging technologies that can be used to secure stabilized supply and reliable storage of foodstuffs in developing countries.

6) International market research

JPMA is organizing inspection tours of overseas packaging machinery markets every year. Also, it provides its members with the latest data on packaging machinery output, imports and exports, etc. of foreign countries. It provides the following information, too.

• Statistics on Japan's packaging and packing machinery output, imports and exports (annual)
• Patent information (two times every month exclusively for members)

7) Publishing

• Packaging Machinery News (Hoso Kikai Shinbun) (Japanese language monthly)
• Japan Packaging Machine Guide (About 1,100 packaging machines and related equipment are introduced.) (Annual. Japanese with English translation)
• A List of Member Companies (Annual. Japanese partly with English)
• Packaging Machinery and their Mechanism (Japanese)
• Packaging Machine Design for the Near Future (Japanese)
• Stray Thoughts on Packaging Machinery (An essay in Japanese)

Please contact JPMA for order information.

8) Japan International Packaging Machinery Show (JAPAN PACK)

JPMA is organizing JAPAN PACK every two years in Tokyo. It showcases domestic as well as foreign packaging machines and related equipment in scale and quality next only to INTERPACK (Germany) and PACK EXPO (U.S.A.).
JAPAN PACK is a must for knowing the latest trends in the world's packaging machinery technologies.

9) Inquiry services

JPMA assists foreign buyers in locating a Japanese manufacturer of packaging equipment. Contact JPMA for assistance by fax, phone or E-mail.

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