E-Newsletter

Digital Magazine

News | New Products

An American Success: Unifoil Honors 25-Year Company Vet Joseph Funicelli

President and CEO of Unifoil Corp. Joseph J. Funicelli recently celebrated his 25th anniversary with the company, says the manufacturer/creator of coating, laminating and metallizing technology and materials. He was honored at a private reception attended by company shareholders and employees.

ExxonMobil Expands OPP Capacity at Shawnee, Oklahoma, Operation

The films business of ExxonMobil Chemical recently completed an expansion of its oriented polypropylene (OPP) film manufacturing plant in Shawnee, OK, says the co. The installation of a specialty 6.6-meter orienter line gives the manufacturer an additional 30 million pounds of annual capacity and helps the films business meet growing demand for white opaque films in the food packaging and labeling and imaging markets, adds the co.

Rexam to Divest Medical Flex Pack Biz

Rexam PLC reports it has reached an agreement to sell its healthcare flexibles sector to Amcor, an Australian flexible packaging company with a global presence.

Environmental Inks to Acquire Arcar

Environmental Inks and Coatings Corp. announced last month the company has signed an agreement to acquire Arcar Graphics, a subsidiary of Flint Ink North America Corp. The ink manufacturer says the transaction is expected to close at the end of this month (August 2003).

Weyerhaeuser to Shutdown Oregon Containerboard Mill Lumber Plant

Weyerhaeuser recently announced it will close two manufacturing operations in Oregon—a containerboard mill in North Bend and an engineered lumber plant in Junction City—permanently.

GAA Calls for Entries for 2004 Golden Cylinder Awards

The Gravure Association of America is calling for entries for its 2004 Golden Cylinder Awards competition. Deadline for entries is 5 pm (EST) November 14, 2003.

CEMA Slates Slitting/Rewinding Seminar for Philly This Fall

The Converting Equipment Manufacturers Association (CEMA), a division of AIMCAL, will host its highly regarded slitting and rewinding seminar, "Slitting and Rewinding Fundamentals for Converters," this November (2003).

US Market Erosion Results in New Packaging Association for Carded Packaging Market

A new association of packaging manufacturers has formed in order to address growing concerns over plant closings and lost jobs to overseas competition. According to Rick Thomas (from Card Pak Inc., Solon, OH), a founding member and VP of the Association of Visual Packaging Manufacturers, the new group is made up of leaders and decision makers assembled from industries serving the carded packaging market.

Interest in Northeast Graphics Trade Show Grows

According to the Printing Industries of New England (PINE), interest for the group's upcoming Northeast Graphics Trade Show has been growing.

Bemis, UPM-Kymmene Terminate Purchase/Sale Agreement

Late last month, Bemis Company Inc. and UPM-Kymmene agreed to terminate to sell Bemis Co.'s pressure sensitive materials business to UPM-Kymmene.

Sun Chemical to Demo Breadth at Graph Expo

Graph Expo/Converting Expo attendees will get a better understanding of "the breadth, quality, and value of the Sun Chemical product line" in Chicago this fall. According to the company, four divisions of Sun Chemical, for the first time, will combine their displays.

By Popular Demand: Labelexpo Americas to Add Show Day

Organizer of Labelexpo Americas 2004 Tarsus Group reports "increasing demand from exhibitors and visitors has led to an extra day being added" to the North American exhibition.

Avery Dennison to Print USPS Commemorative Stamps Under Long-Term Contract

Avery Dennison Corp. reports the US Postal Service has issued the first commemorative self-adhesive stamps printed under a new long-term contract awarded to the company by the USPS; the agreement calls for Avery Dennison to produce definitive and commemorative self-adhesive postage stamps.

Pack Expo: Winning Packaging Materials Pavilion Spotlighted in Vegas

The Packaging Machinery Manufacturers Institute (PMMI), organizers of the upcoming Pack Expo Las Vegas show, report several international associations are slated to showcase packaging innovations in the new Containers & Materials Pavilion during the three-day venue.

FK Awarded Patent for Changeover-Time Reduction Technology

Fischer & Krecke reports its Access technology has been awarded a patent. According to the OEM, Access dramatically reduces changeover-time by allowing operators to set up non-operational print stations of one printing job while the previous job is still running.

Tequity Takes Over Lemo

Jagenberg AG, Neuss, Germany, a subsidiary of Rheinmetall, reports it has sold its Lemo Maschinenbau GmbH, Niederkassel, Mondorf, business operations to Zürich-based Tequity Beteiligungsgesellschaft AG.

Labelexpo Europe: Unparalled Access to Latest Label Trends

This year's main event for the label and product decoration industry is Labelexpo Europe 2003. Barry Hunt places some of the trends and challenges facing converters in the context of the show.

Winning with Covers

The critical question for converters is: "Just how do you work with heavyweights?"

Kraton Increases Focus on Packaging Segment

Kraton Polymers reports it has formed a new business group dedicated to packaging and polymer modification. According to Kraton, the new group will concentrate on the technology enhancements and research needed to provide global packaging and polymer modification markets "with focus, speed, flexibility, and growth."

Moving to Soft Proofs: RealTimeImage Gets GATF InterTech for Online Proofing Application

RealTimeImage reports it has been recognized by GATF (Graphic Arts Technical Foundation) for its "innovative online proofing technology found in...RealTimeImage Express solution."

IP Updates Pocket Pal: New Edition Features Digital Info.

International Paper announces the release of the 19th edition of Pocket Pal: A Graphic Arts Handbook, "the company's authoritative introduction to the graphic arts for many artists, designers, publishers, advertisers, students and buyers of printing," says IP.

Amberley Adhesive Labels Invests in RK Print Coat FlexiProof 100

Print Coat Instruments reports it has supplied U.K. label producer Amberley Adhesive Labels with a FlexiProof 100, "a precision, bench-top multi-tasking tool that enables users to produce proofs using water, solvent, or UV flexographic inks as well as to undertake accurate quality control and printability tests."

Minimizing Risk: Pira Intl. to Hold Brand Protection Conference in Spain

Pira International reports the full program for Brand Protection 2003 is available for its late-September event. According to Pira, the two-day venue will feature "case studies from an unrivalled line up of speakers from all over the world," addressing brand protection and counterfeiting issues and strategies.

Packaging Groups Form Coalition to Fight FDA

Packaging associations, such as the Association of Independent Corrugated Converters (AICC), have formed a coalition to fight the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), reports a recent AICC release.

Pillar Seals Deal at NPE 2003

Many projects come to a close at a show," says Pillar Technologies sales manager Scott Kessler, "but few actually start and finish in just one day!" According to the OEM of treating equipment for the converting and plastics industries, that's exactly what happened at NPE 2003.

PCMC Goes Down Under with Avanti Gearless Flexo Press Install

PCMC reports the installation of an eight-color, Avanti gearless, flexo press at Wing Flexible Packaging in South Australia.

New Market Opportunities: Comco Flexo Label Seminar

Comco, a div. of Mark Andy, announces the fourth in the Flexo Focus Seminar Series: "Flexo Focus on the Future—Roll-Fed, Roll-Fed Shrink-Sleeve Labels, and Other Shrink Labels." The seminar is slated for September 3, 2003, at the Comco Advanced Training and Technology Center, Milford (Cincinnati), OH.

Pactiv Launches Revamped Tuff-Kraft Mailer Line

Pactiv Corp. recently unveiled the latest version of its Tuff-Kraft mailer line with new and repositioned product offerings under the Hefty Express Tuff-Kraft mailer and Hefty Express Tuff-Kraft BRIGHTS brands, says the packaging manufacturer.

IMI Supplies Shorewood with H+S UF Retrofit

Independent Machinery Inc. (IMI) reports the installation of an Heiber + Schröder universial feeder retrofit for Shorewood Packaging Corp.'s Indianapolis plant. The converting equipment supplier adds Shorewood invested in the UF feeder in order to produce large runs of promo work requiring rigid window placement.

Converting Info at Your Fingertips: Jelmar Provides Folding Carton Environmental Regs for Printers Pubs

Jelmar Publishing Co. (jelmarpublishing.com) reports the availability of books of interest to converters and printers: The Handbook of Folding Carton Production and Environmental Regualtions for Printers.

Subscribe to PFFC's EClips Newsletter