Flexible Packaging articles from August 2008

Flexible Packaging archives from August 2008

Do price hikes signal desperation ... or confidence?(EDITOR'S FORUM)(Editorial)(Brief article)
August 1, 2008... Is it finally time for you to raise prices and get some relief from pinched profits? You're getting squeezed from both ends: Raw material costs continue to escalate, while customers, subtly or straight out, warn you that their reaction to even...

FPA publishes flexible packaging case study brochure.(FPA UPDATE)
August 1, 2008... Through the association's sustainability initiatives and activities, FPA consistently works to effectively communicate that flexible packaging is a sustainable packaging solution for retailers, consumer product manufacturers and consumers. To...

Association activities update.(FPA UPDATE)(Impex Group Holding L.P.)(Earth First Industries)(Graphic Packaging Int'I Inc.)
August 1, 2008... FPA Welcomes New Members! FPA is pleased to welcome the following new members to the association: Earth First Industries Earth First Industries (EFI) manufactures and distributes Earth Board and Earth Film (patent pending)...

Sneak preview: 2008 FPA fall executive conference.(FPA UPDATE)(Conference notes)
August 1, 2008... FPA's 2008 Fall Executive Conference will be held on Tuesday, October 28, at The Drake Hotel in Chicago. The conference will focus on topics and issues specific to the flexible packaging industry, including sustainability, raw materials, cost...

FPA at Pack Expo International 2008.(FPA UPDATE)
August 1, 2008... Be sure to stop by the FPA booth (booth number C-64) during PACK EXPO International 2008, November 9-13 in Chicago. FPA will display winning entries from the 2008 FPA Flexible Packaging Achievement Awards. Copies of several FPA publications...

Now available: FPA's 2008-2009 Flexible Packaging Buyers Guide.(FPA UPDATE)(Buyers guide)
August 1, 2008... The 2008-2009 FPA Flexible Packaging Buyers Guide includes detailed information regarding the manufacturing and supply capabilities of FPA members. As a key reference for the flexible packaging industry, this publication provides specific...

Expopack sells Newmarket film business.(NEWSBRIEFS)(Dynamic Solutions Unlimited LLC )(Brief article)
August 1, 2008... Dynamic Solutions Unlimited LLC has bought Exopack Holding Corp.'s film business in Newmarket, Ontario, Canada. Newmarket has been a supplier of high-quality single-and multi-layer polyethylene films to customers involved in package converting...

Flexo plate manufacturer seeks technical trial participants.(SNEWSBRIEFS)
August 1, 2008... The plate manufacturer PRPflexo is currently searching for flexo printers for additional trials of its new digital flexo plates. Participants will be asked to use the new plates (Digital ExSpect) on their presses to run existing work where...

Reynolds Flexible Packaging installs new flexo press.(NEWSBRIEFS)
August 1, 2008... Reynolds Flexible Packaging has installed a new Windmoeller & Hoelscher Primaflex CM flexographic press at its plant in Downingtown, Pa. The W&H high-speed flexographic press provides gravure-comparable print quality on film, paper and...

Rohm and Haas launches operations in Mexico.(NEWSBRIEFS)(Brief article)
August 1, 2008... Rohm and Haas has recently begun operations at its new high-technology plant in Queretaro, Mexico. The company's goal with this investment is to develop a high-performance center of technology and services, by increasing its presence in Mexico,...

Flint group partners with matchmycolor.com.(NEWSBRIEFS)
August 1, 2008... Flint Group has partnered with Matchmycolor.com to provide colormatching solutions for flexographic and gravure applications. The Matchmycolor.com website includes recent enhancements which make the site more intuitive and permits multiple...

Lamination machine sets Guinness World Record at drupa.(INDUSTRY NEWS)
August 1, 2008... GBC Commercial Laminating Solutions Group, part of ACCO Brands Corp., successfully achieved a new Guinness World Record at drupa 2008 by setting the fastest time for laminating 102.2 square metres of paper (size 70 x 100 centimeters) in just...

EskoArtwork and Sun Chemical announce 'colorful' cooperation.(INDUSTRY NEWS)(Brief article)
August 1, 2008... Sun Chemical and EskoArtwork have announced details of a new strategic partnership in color and workflow. Sun Chemical has expertise in applied color management for brand packaging and EskoArtwork has capabilities with color-managed packaging...

Sun Chemical.(MILESTONES)
August 1, 2008... Sun Chemical has named Myron Petruch president, Performance Pigments and Brian Leen president, North American Inks.

Toray Plastics (America) Inc.(MILESTONES)
August 1, 2008... Toray Plastics (America) Inc. has named Richard Schloesser president and CEO. Previously, Schloesser was senior director of Toray Industries Inc.

Extrusion Dies Industries LLC.(MILESTONES)
August 1, 2008... Extrusion Dies Industries LLC. has appointed Rick Forbis to be regional sales manager for the southern United States.

Miltec UV.(MILESTONES)
August 1, 2008... Miltec UV, based in Stevensville, Md., has hired Derek Matheson as general manager. Kyle Dickerhoff has also been added to the company's sales force.

Novatec.(MILESTONES)
August 1, 2008... Novatec has appointed John Braaf product manager for the company's range of blenders, as well as for blender-based extrusion systems.

Clariant Masterbatches.(MILESTONES)
August 1, 2008... Clariant Masterbatches has named Peter Prusak to head the packaging market segment for North America.

Harper GraphicSolutions.(MILESTONES)
August 1, 2008... Harper GraphicSolutions has selected Jeff Leazer to joined its team as technical graphics specialist.

Service, personified: even in a slumping economy, Packaging Personified has figured out how to go green, expand its operations and maintain its dedication to customer service.(Company overview)
August 1, 2008... Driving through the tiny town of Sparta, Mich., it's hard not to notice it's a community that, like the rest of the state, has seen its share of economic troubles. Michigan's unemployment rate is one of the highest in the nation, thanks to the...

Zip up the competition; Flexible Packaging talked to a leader in the resealability market, Pactiv, about the popularity of slider closures.(UP CLOSE)
August 1, 2008... Stephen Meli, sales and marketing manager, Slide-Rite Q: WHAT KIND OF VALUED-ADDED FEATURES DO RESEALABILITY/RECLOSABILITY PRODUCTS PROVIDE POUCH/BAG CONVERTERS? The slider is one of the fastest growing segments in reclosability....

Brand security starts with packaging; New technologies fine-tune security printing and coding.(PRINTING TECHNOLOGY)(Industry overview)
August 1, 2008... With an estimated cost to the worldwide economy of $700 billion per year, counterfeiting is top of mind for brand owners as well as their suppliers. Converters are meeting the challenge head-on, with printing and coding technologies that...

The winning prescription for doctor blades: using the right blade thickness for the right anilox roll application will save money and improve performance of flexo printing operations.(TECH REPORT)
August 1, 2008... With changes developing rapidly throughout the flexo-graphic printing industry and pressroom personnel turnover happening so frequently, companies sometimes fail to recognize the technical progress that is taking place. They continue to operate...

New servo knife holder speeds up set-up.(HOT PRODUCTS)(Brief article)
August 1, 2008... The SL50 knife holder has replaced pneumatic controls with electrically powered embedded servo motors. The result is a system that requires no manual set-up or intervention. Servo controls introduce a new concept called adaptive slippage...

Modularity helps economically customize ERP software.(HOT PRODUCTS)
August 1, 2008... Millennium III (M3) is a flexible, open, customizable Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system that includes modules for sales and marketing management, finance, engineering, manufacturing and production management, customer relationship...

Roll changer provides continuous, roll-to-roll productivity.(HOT PRODUCTS)(Martin Automatic Inc.)(Brief article)
August 1, 2008... The LRH automatic transfer rewind--a nonstop roll changer ideal for mid-web printing, laminating and converting processes--provides continuous, roll-to-roll productivity for a range of applications and materials, from film to paper and...

Air adapter chucks smoothly handle core size changes.(HOT PRODUCTS)(Brief article)
August 1, 2008... Air adapter chucks provide faster, easier and more affordable handling of core size changes without the wear or damage often associated with mechanical chucks. The pneumatic bladder design allows for smooth installation and removal. After...

CTP system automates prepress tasks.(HOT PRODUCTS)
August 1, 2008... The PlateMaker 5 XL is a large format process-free, chemical-free polyester computer-to-plate (CTP) system that images 16-up polyester plates and paper proofs up to 914 x 1,219 millimeters (36 x 48 inches). Powered by Xante OpenRIP Symphony...

Drying system offers efficiency for coating patterns.(HOT PRODUCTS)
August 1, 2008... Macrowave RF Drying System provides greater efficiency than conventional convection and infrared systems for the high-speed drying of water-based patterned glue and coatings in the converting industry. It selectively heats only the patterned...

UV flexo press and inks target flexible food packaging.(HOT PRODUCTS)
August 1, 2008... Companies Gidue and Sun Chemical combined their expertise to create a new turnkey solution for ultraviolet (UV) flexo printed food packaging that provides cost-efficient, solvent-free and food-approved flexible film packaging. The announcement...

Dancer roller delivers repeatable tension control.(HOT PRODUCTS)
August 1, 2008... The new DTI-3400 combination controller includes both dancer and load cell (transducer) inputs. It can simultaneously process signals from both a dancer roller and a pair of load cells. Control of the dancer roll is provided by the company's...

Screening technology allows users to configure screen settings.(HOT PRODUCTS)
August 1, 2008... Staccato CX Screening and Maxtone CX Screening technologies allows users to configure Maxtone AM and Staccato FM screens to suit their printing environments. The program suite helps configure the highlight, midtone and shadow dots of both AM...

Cost-effective antimicrobial works without discoloration.(HOT PRODUCTS)(Biosafe Inc.)(Brief article)
August 1, 2008... New literature describes an innovative antimicrobial masterbatch that differs from other additives of this type in forming permanent covalent bonds with the polymers in plastics. The silane-based technology is more cost-effective and...

Dual-razor slitter works for film and sheet extrusion.(HOT PRODUCTS)(Parkinson Technologies Inc.)(Brief article)
August 1, 2008... The new model DRS dual-razor slitter for film and sheet extrusion applications features numerous improvements over other commercially available slitters. Safety: The design of the DRS ensures that the dual blades are completely guarded whether...

Core cutter cuts plastic and fiber cores.(HOT PRODUCTS)
August 1, 2008... The A400P Automatic Core Cutter system is designed to cut both plastic and fiber cores. The A400P features a hydraulic-powered core feed and cut-off along with automated batch processing for optimum operating efficiency. New hydraulic valving...

New resin offers 50% improvement in moisture barrier.(HOT PRODUCTS)
August 1, 2008... Surpass HPsl67-AB resin for use in barrier-film structures offers high-moisture-barrier performance--up to 50% improvement over existing resins--and the ability for packaging designers to downgauge without sacrificing performance while helping...

Adhesive offers clarity of a solvent-based adhesive along with coating speed of water-based formulas.(HOT PRODUCTS)
August 1, 2008... Covinax 210, an acrylic polymer-based formula, offers optical clarity and can be used on any application that requires a transparent adhesive. Covinax 210 adheres to--and easily lifts from--diverse surfaces. This adhesive performs well as a...

Tank-mounted viscosity sensor removable for cleaning.(HOT PRODUCTS)
August 1, 2008... MXBOC Viscosity Sensor is a tank mounted viscosity sensor for both water- and solvent-based applications, such as printing, glues, and adhesives that operates at atmospheric pressure, and has removable wetted parts. It is suitable for water-...

New mandrel system adapts to different core sizes.(HOT PRODUCTS)(Appleton Manufacturing)(Brief article)
August 1, 2008... The Instant Diameter Change (IDC) mandrel system can be retrofitted to most any vintage of Appleton core cutter to provide quick changeover between different core diameters. The IDC system adapts to different core sizes by using interchangeable...

Spreader rolls remove wrinkles in thin-gauge webs.(HOT PRODUCTS)(Converter Accessory Corp.)(Brief article)
August 1, 2008... WrinklesSTOP Spreader Rolls help converters and their customers offer more sustainable products because they support downgauging and thinner gauges while generating less waste. They also allow an overall increase in line speeds. WrinkleSTOP...

GE caulk available in single-use packets.(EDITOR'S CHOICE)
August 1, 2008... GE Caulk Singles, single-use disposable packages of caulk, are intended to replace sometimes difficult-to-use squeeze tubes and caulk guns. Caulk Singles use geometric bellows and other hidden mechanisms to dispense with one hand and eliminate...

UK milk comes in plastic bags.(EDITOR'S CHOICE)
August 1, 2008... British food retailer Sainsbury's recently rolled out milk in flexible plastic bags, meant to be used with a specially designed pitcher. Consumers place the two-pint bag into the pitcher, trade-named Jugit. The Jugit has a spike that pierces...

Ragu now in nuke-ready pouches.(EDITOR'S CHOICE)(Unilever Group)(Brief article)
August 1, 2008... Ragu pasta sauce, a mainstay brand from Unilever, is now available in a microwavable single-serve pouch. The 13.5-ounce Ragu Fresh & Simple pouch features a clear bottom gusset that allows consumers to view the product. Consumers clip open one...

Single-serve bag promotes dibs ice cream as snack.(EDITOR'S CHOICE)
August 1, 2008... Dibs, the bite-size candy-coated ice cream novelty from the Dreyer's unit of Nestle, now comes in single-serve, easy-open pouches. The Snack Bag, containing 2 ounces, comes 10 to a paperboard carton. The multipack carton sells for a suggested...