Using a vacuum or protective gas during the packaging process is one of today’s most common methods for hygienically packaging fresh meat, sausage goods and convenience products in portioned packaging with a long shelf life that is attractive to consumers. Vacuum packaging has existed for over 50 years.  One of the pioneers of vacuum packaging is the Busch company, which developed the first vacuum pump specifically for this application in 1963. Today, Busch R5 rotary vane vacuum pumps are used worldwide in countless packaging machines. The intrinsic operating principle from the first machines in 1963 has remained; Busch has otherwise constantly further developed its vacuum pumps and adapted to new market requirements. But something else has also stayed the same: The vacuum pump is the heart of every packaging machine. The quality of the vacuum pump to a large extent determines the quality of the packaging machine and, ultimately, the quality of the packaging.