Flexible Packaging articles from April 2004

Flexible Packaging archives from April 2004

Eliminate poor performers.(My Point is ....)(human resources)(Editorial)
April 1, 2004... Let me get right to the point. I routinely use this editorial space as a bully pulpit to champion the cause of workers' rights. I believe that every company has brilliant employees toiling away unappreciated within the bowels of its...

Polymer Packaging acquires protective Packaging business.(News Briefs)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2004... Polymer Packaging Inc., North Canton, OH, has acquired the Protective Packaging Div. of Packaging Personified Inc. The entity, which is wholly owned by Polymer Packaging, is based in Sparta, MI, and will operate under the name Polymer...

F.L. Smithe acquires Aquaflex.(News Briefs)(Smithe Machine Company Inc.)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2004... The F.L. Smithe Machine Co. Inc., Duncansville, PA, has acquired the assets of Aquaflex, Montreal, Canada. Combined the companies have more than 125 years of experience building high-end web-based converting equipment. "We're very excited...

Career Education Center wins Phoenix Challenge.(News Briefs)
April 1, 2004... The Career Education Center, Asheville, NC, took home top honors at the 7th Annual Phoenix Challenge High School Flexographic Skills Competition. The winners, Stephen Schoff and Aaron Grasty received the prestigious Harper Flexo Cup as well as...

Rusal sells packaging business.(Russian Aluminium Holding to sell its packaging division to Tsvetmetservice.)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2004... Russian Aluminum (Rusal), Russia's leading producer of primary aluminum, sold its flexible packaging division based in Dmitrov, Moscow Region. The buyer is Tsvetmetservice from Samara, one of the largest producers of secondary aluminum alloys...

Flexible dominates growing demand for Protective Packaging.(Freedonia Group study)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2004... Protective packaging demand is expected to grow 5.2% annually to $3.5 billion in 2008, according to a recent study by The Freedonia Group. Protective Packaging attributes this growth to accelerating internet and mail order catalog sales and the...

US Protective Packaging Demand (million dollars).(Brief Article)(Illustration)
April 1, 2004... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] US PROTECTIVE PACKAGING DEMAND (MILLION DOLLARS) % Annual Growth Item 1998 2003 2008 03/98 08/03 Protective Packaging...

CMM expands Digital Front End Pavilion.(Industry News)
April 1, 2004... To help converters, package printers, and their supply chain partners achieve a more effective end-to-end workflow solution, organizers of CMM International have announced an expanded Digital Front End (DFE) Pavilion at the show. CMM will be...

Customer demand drives purchase of digital platesetter.(Industry News)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2004... Pen & Inc., Franklin, WI, has purchased a Cyrel Digital Imager (CDI) Advance platesetter from Esko-Graphics, Vandalia, OH. Pen & Inc. is a supplier of integrated packaging pre-production solutions. Its design and prepress facility designs art,...

Ion Industrial and Dusenbery form partnership.(Industry News)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2004... Ion Industrial, Windsor Locks, CT, and Dusenbery Worldwide have partnered to provide converters with advanced slitter/rewinder technology combined with a sophisticated static control system. Dusenbery's new Revolution high-speed, duplex...

Great Lakes Flexo Association holds press-side meeting.(Industry News)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2004... The Great Lakes Flexo Assn. (GLFA) held its first press-side meeting this past February at Paper Converting Machine Co.'s Green Bay, WI, headquarters. GLFA was established almost two years ago and has held educational conferences for the...

Reiner Leipold-Buttner.(Milestones)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2004... Reiner Leipold-Buttner will assume the newly established position of executive VP for engineering and manufacturing at Bosch Rexroth AG, Lohr, Germany. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

Tony P. Hankins.(Milestones)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2004... Tony P. Hankins has been appointed president of Huntsman Polyurethanes, Houston, TX. Don Stanutz will succeed Hankins as president of Huntsman Performance Products.

Neil Surber.(Milestones)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2004... Harper Corp. of America, Charlotte, NC, has named Neil Surber national sales manager. He will oversee the company's Wide Web sales division. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

Trucolor Vision Systems Inc. ha opened a European subsidiary in Barcelona, Spain.(Milestones)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2004... TruColor Vision Systems Inc. ha opened a European subsidiary in Barcelona, Spain. A joint venture with LR Products, the sales, assembly, and support center will direct the European activities for TruColor's range of web inspection systems.

Amcor Flexibles Healthcare.(Milestones)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2004... Amcor Flexibles Healthcare, Mundelein, IL, has appointed Teri Meadow director, personal care and pharmaceutical sales. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

Mitchell J. Weckop.(Milestones)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2004... Mitchell J. Weckop has been elected to the Board of Directors of Paper Converting Machine Co., Green Bay, WI. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

Global Packaging purchases first W&H Novoflex CM in US.(Industry News)(Windmoeller & Hoelscher)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2004... Global Packaging, Oaks, PA, has purchased the first Windmoeller & Hoelscher Novoflex[R] CM in the US. The press, which is also one of two presses to be shown at W&H's booth during Drupa, will be delivered to the customer's plant shortly after...

A common goal: promoting safety in the workplace.(FPA Update)
April 1, 2004... The Flexible Packaging Association is committed to promoting safety within the flexible packaging industry. Our employees are the backbones of our daily plant and manufacturing operations. Without them, production of innovative flexible...

2004 FPA Fall Executive Conference: focusing on the impact of imports.(FPA Update)(Flexible Packaging Association)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2004... The 2004 Flexible Packaging Association's Fall Executive Conference will be held on Sept. 22, 2004, from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm at the Hotel Inter-Continental Chicago. This year's conference will examine the increasing level of imports and their...

FPA releases manual on Security Guidelines for Flexible Packaging Manufacturers.(FPA Update)(Flexible Packaging Association)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2004... The Security Guidelines for Flexible Packaging Manufacturers, recently released by the Flexible Packaging Association, provides guidelines that help manufactures of flexible packaging establish and maintain a high level of security in...

2003 FPA Compensation Survey collects key data about the flexible packaging industry.(FPA Update)(Flexible Packaging Association)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2004... The 2004 FPA Compensation Survey, released in March of 2004, gathers data from FPA converter members on wage and benefits for both hourly and salaried employees in the flexible packaging industry. Survey participants are asked to provide...

2003 FPA 4th Quarter Pulse of the Industry Report details business and economic performance of industry.(FPA Update)(Flexible Packaging Association)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2004... The 2003 FPA 4th Quarter Pulse of the Industry Report, released by FPA in March 2004, is the most recent report issued by the Association addressing the economic and business performance of the flexible packaging industry. The focus of the...

FPA working effectively with the Environmental Protection Agency.(FPA Update)(Flexible Packaging Association)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2004... FPA's Environmental Committee continues to work proactively with the Environmental Protection Agency and recently met with the Agency in Research Triangle Park, North Carolina to discuss the their approach to assessing the residual risk for...

FPA announces 2004 Board of Directors.(FPA Update)(Flexible Packaging Association)
April 1, 2004... The Flexible Packaging Association is pleased to announce its 2004 Board of Directors. In accordance with FPA Bylaws, the Executive Vice Chairperson of the previous year succeeds the Chairperson at the end of the Chairperson's term. Directors...

Consolidation of the international flexible packaging industry.(Both Sides of the Pond)(Industry Overview)
April 1, 2004... Genuinely worldwide successful packaging groups in the past have tended to be those with a grip on their production technology, a product range made from a limited number of materials and a focussed end-use market. Thus Crown Cork and Seal with...

The search for quality.(Business Resources)
April 1, 2004... As consumers, we look for the highest quality standards in the products we buy. Shouldn't you use the same practices when you are looking to hire? In the context of hiring, what does the word "quality" actually mean, and perhaps more...

Exopack: waking a sleeping giant; Exopack, one of the ten largest converters of flexible packaging in the US, may very well be the best-kept secret in the industry. But not anymore.(Cover Story)
April 1, 2004... Quietly, but certainly not without notice, Exopack is picking up momentum. Already one of the country's ten largest converters, the company recently named a new president and CEO, and has its sights set on nothing less than being the best. As...

Roundtable on web inspection & web guiding.(Advertisement)
April 1, 2004... Web inspection and web guiding equipment are critical components of any profitable and efficient flexible packaging converting operation. We asked our hand-selected group of expert suppliers to the industry whether a converter of flexible...

Advancements in digital technology increase web inspection capabilities.(Technical Report)
April 1, 2004... If you mentioned the words "web inspection" 20 years ago, people would've assumed you were talking about an operator watching the web go by. As that term grew popular, web inspection systems became interesting prospects for end users....

Smart software solution.(Up Close)(PlastiSoft Corp.)(Interview)
April 1, 2004... Flexible Packaging editors sat down with Jacob Aharon, President and CEO of PlastiSoft Corp., for a frank discussion about what today's enterprise system software can do to make converters more efficient and profitable. Q: Give me a quick...

Innovative printing technology on display.(Hot Products)
April 1, 2004... Fischer & Krecke will exhibit its innovative printing technology, including the Flexpress 16S with a printing width of 49 inches and a material width of 51 inches. Print repeats are 12.6 to 41 inches. During the show, the press will run at up...

Software offers workflow solutions.(Hot Products)
April 1, 2004... Esko-Graphics will showcase its latest software updates for workflow applications. The enhanced software components retain their consistent use of industry standard data formats as a common, fundamental characteristic. Esko-Graphics uses PDF as...

UV film processor is compact and efficient.(Hot Products)(Ultra Voilet)
April 1, 2004... The Prime UV FLEXfilm processor features an open base UV lamp facing a water-cooled chill roll. Designed for easy installation on all types of flexo presses, this new system can be installed after the coating station on a central impression...

Color management software for Packaging applications.(Hot Products)
April 1, 2004... GretagMacbeth will showcase a number of new products including new entry-level solutions that make the benefits of consistent color reproduction more accessible and affordable to a wider range of users. The company will also introduce the...

Machine vision-based inspection for packaging.(Hot Products; Advanced Vision Technology Inc.)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2004... AVT will have seven operations PrintVision machine vision-based inspection systems on display demonstrating the benefits and ease of use of its PrintVision platforms. Solutions for packaging at the show are the PrintVision Jupiter, the...

System automates print impression settings.(Hot Products; Windmoeller and Hoelscher Corp.)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2004... W&H will introduce its patented impression system Easy-Set, which offers the fully automatic and precise adjustment of the anilox and plate impression settings. This previously operator skill-dependent process has now been fully automated and,...

Inks on display for RFID, active packaging applications.(Hot Products)(Radio Frequency Identification)
April 1, 2004... Flint Ink will display its newest ink systems and printing technologies for package printing and other printing applications. Highlights will include UV inks and hardware for digital printing, active packaging, brand protection, and the latest...

Combo press features sophisticated technology.(Hot Products)
April 1, 2004... Rotatek will introduce the RK Perfect NT press with shaftless transmission between printing units and a straight web path. The press is equipped with five offset and one flexo printing units, auto-register, and an automatic ink and register...

Color management solutions on display.(Hot Products; from X-Rite)
April 1, 2004... On display will be Slingshot[TM] color management solution for on-demand and prepress professionals. The system dramatically reduces the time and difficulty in the process of measuring ICC color management test forms. In the single press of a...

Agfa launches faster therma CtP platesetters.(Hot Products)
April 1, 2004... Agfa will display its :Xcalibur platesetters, which come in 45-inch width/eight-up and feature a higher power laser, more beams, faster drum speed, and faster loading/unloading cycle time. The :Xcalibur 45 XXT does up to 40 plates per hour....

Tension amplifier simplifies web tension measurement.(Hot Products)
April 1, 2004... The iAmp[TM] is a compact tension signal amplifier that works with any of DFE's tension transducers as either a directly-connected transducer plug-on or as a module that snaps on the cable between the transducer and the receiving device. This...

Adhesives Technical Guide for flexible packaging converters.(Hot Products)
April 1, 2004... Rohm and Haas has published a new resource guide titled North American Technical Resource Guide for Packaging and Converting. The guide encompasses a wealth of application and technical information on adhesives and coatings, substrates and...

Roll refurbishing service saves time.(Hot Products; Webex Inc.)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2004... Proper refurbishing of process rolls can save thousands of dollars and weeks of lead time waiting for new roll deliveries. Webex, a manufacturer of precision converting rolls of all kinds, also refurbishes rolls to an "as new" condition. The...

Satin matte finish films add luster, barrier protection.(Hot Products)
April 1, 2004... New satin matte finish films for coffee packages from Curwood provide Boyd coffee packages with a richer, satin look in a reverse-printed design. Most coffee packaging films are surface printed. Curwood's three-ply construction protects printed...

Additive provides performance characteristics.(Hot Products; ADMTronics Unlimited Inc.)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2004... Polaqua AD provides exceptional performance characteristics to any aqueous ink, paint, adhesive, coating, or resin. Only minor additions of the product to virtually any liquid imparts significant improvement of flow, laydown, wet-out, and other...

May 2004.(Calendar)
April 1, 2004... May 2-5: e|5 UV & EB Technology Conference, Radtech, Charlotte, NC (240) 497-1242; www.radtech.org. May 3-4: FPA Safety Conference, Flexible Packaging Assn., Chicago, IL (410) 694-0800; www.flexpack.org. May 3-5: Paper Summit 2004,...

Holographic films heighten shelf appeal.(Editor's Choice)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2004... Mirage[TM] holographic label films are designed to light up shelf appeal and brighten up sales in low shrink and non-shrink roll-fed label applications. They are now available in embossed and embossable base films. These holographic label films...

Shrink labels convey quality image.(Editor's Choice)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2004... Nestle's Coffee-Mate[R] line of non-dairy creamers, as well as Nestle's Nesquik[R], Rolo[R], and CoffeeCrisp[R] Ready-To-Drink (RTD) flavored milk beverages, were recently introduced in the Canadian market. Each of these products is dressed in...

Steering guide provides precise web control.(Editor's Choice)
April 1, 2004... AccuWeb will introduce its new patent-pending steering guide, designed for narrow web printers and converters. The guide's design includes a moving frame supported by an assembly with grooved inner and outer tracks, allowing for more efficient...