StePac LA Ltd. is a company that focuses on the post-harvest industry. Xtend and Xsense are their two major products. Xtend is a modified atmosphere/modified humidity (MA/MH) packaging and Xsense is a solution to monitor the temperature and humidity of produce in the cold supply chain (from packing house to customer).
After sealing the Xtend bag, the fruit/vegetable's natural respiration lowers the oxygen concentration inside. This results in an increase in the carbon dioxide concentration. As the oxygen concentration declines, the fruit/vegetable's respiration rate decreases. "Our packagings create the right modified atmosphere but we also contend with another problem, which is condensation. Our packaging films are designed so that excess moisture is released while enough humidity to keep produce from dehydrating and losing weight is maintained," explains Amnon Sandman of StePac.
Xtend MA/MH packaging has been instrumental in growing the Peruvian green-asparagus trade in the United States and the white-asparagus trade in Europe by enabling exporters to ship by sea. "Asparagus always went by air to the United States and Europe, but with the Xtend bag, the shelf life is suitable for transportation by ship, which is cheaper and a major win in carbon footprint reduction," reports Sandman. "Xtend packaging for asparagus is used not only for overseas exportation. We are also seeing European companies using our bags locally for asparagus." Xtend bags are used to extend shelf life for more than 50 different products including melons, cherries, cucumbers, pomegranates, zucchini, stone fruit, snow peas and sugar snaps. StePac provides very specific packing instructions and on site guidance to users so that they gain the maximum benefit from the technology of the bag.
Besides Xtend MA/MH Packaging, StePac also markets the Xsense Cold Chain Monitoring System. This is a technology that measures the temperature and humidity inside produce cartons throughout the supply chain, reporting and alerting users in real time. "You can put the Xsensers? (small, disposable Xsense sensor units) in different locations on the pallet. We recommend not less than three Xsensers per shipment, but when shipping very perishable products such as cherries, grapes and avocado we suggest more, at least one Xsenser in every other pallet. The System begins reporting on your computer screen or smartphone as soon as the Xsensers are placed in the pallet, so they can be used to monitor the precooling and loading stages as well as during shipment and at the receiving depot ? C all the way to final destination at supermarkets, " comments Sandman. The system is also used for cold storage room temperature and humidity monitoring.
StePac has seen a significant growth in demand for both their Xtend and Xsense products in the past year. The company has recently added a new sales and distribution office in France, L'Univers de l'Emballage SAS. "We are always looking for new markets and expanding our reach," remarks Sandman. "Today we have 22 offices and representatives in all major regions: North, South and Central America, South-East-Asia, EU, Turkey, South Africa and Israel as well as branches in Russia and the Ukraine."
After sealing the Xtend bag, the fruit/vegetable's natural respiration lowers the oxygen concentration inside. This results in an increase in the carbon dioxide concentration. As the oxygen concentration declines, the fruit/vegetable's respiration rate decreases. "Our packagings create the right modified atmosphere but we also contend with another problem, which is condensation. Our packaging films are designed so that excess moisture is released while enough humidity to keep produce from dehydrating and losing weight is maintained," explains Amnon Sandman of StePac.
Xtend MA/MH packaging has been instrumental in growing the Peruvian green-asparagus trade in the United States and the white-asparagus trade in Europe by enabling exporters to ship by sea. "Asparagus always went by air to the United States and Europe, but with the Xtend bag, the shelf life is suitable for transportation by ship, which is cheaper and a major win in carbon footprint reduction," reports Sandman. "Xtend packaging for asparagus is used not only for overseas exportation. We are also seeing European companies using our bags locally for asparagus." Xtend bags are used to extend shelf life for more than 50 different products including melons, cherries, cucumbers, pomegranates, zucchini, stone fruit, snow peas and sugar snaps. StePac provides very specific packing instructions and on site guidance to users so that they gain the maximum benefit from the technology of the bag.
Besides Xtend MA/MH Packaging, StePac also markets the Xsense Cold Chain Monitoring System. This is a technology that measures the temperature and humidity inside produce cartons throughout the supply chain, reporting and alerting users in real time. "You can put the Xsensers? (small, disposable Xsense sensor units) in different locations on the pallet. We recommend not less than three Xsensers per shipment, but when shipping very perishable products such as cherries, grapes and avocado we suggest more, at least one Xsenser in every other pallet. The System begins reporting on your computer screen or smartphone as soon as the Xsensers are placed in the pallet, so they can be used to monitor the precooling and loading stages as well as during shipment and at the receiving depot ? C all the way to final destination at supermarkets, " comments Sandman. The system is also used for cold storage room temperature and humidity monitoring.
StePac has seen a significant growth in demand for both their Xtend and Xsense products in the past year. The company has recently added a new sales and distribution office in France, L'Univers de l'Emballage SAS. "We are always looking for new markets and expanding our reach," remarks Sandman. "Today we have 22 offices and representatives in all major regions: North, South and Central America, South-East-Asia, EU, Turkey, South Africa and Israel as well as branches in Russia and the Ukraine."
