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2005 VUE/POINT Conference Topics Stress Trends that Create Opportunities

The 2005 VUE/POINT Conference is moving to a new venue in Orlando, FL, opening with a conference that will discuss "What Kind of Business Do I Want to Be?" and the closing with "Putting What you Learned at VUE/POINT into Practice." The three-day conference will offer tabletop displays, roundtable discussions, and general sessions.

interpack 2005 Offers Reduced Ticket Prices and Guided Tours

interpack 2005 will offer admission tickets and show directories online at reduced prices. The show will also offer small group tours based on individual thematic areas.

Graphics of the Americas Draws Crowds

An improving economy may have played a role in the increased foot traffic at this year’s Graphics of the Americas, held February 4-6 at the Miami Beach Convention Ctr. in Miami Beach, FL. Show organizers report increased attendance by as much as 15% from last year’s attendee list of 20,000.

Innovative Packaging Sets Two Production Records

Innovative Packaging Corp.’s (IPC) second shift team set a production record on its 98-in. BHS corrugator. The third shift team also set a time record, going over six consecutive shifts with zero downtime.

CMM 2005's Conference Program Guide is Here!

The CMM Intl. 2005 Conference Program Guide is on its way to your mailbox! Inside are almost 150 insightful conference presentations featuring over 100 industry experts covering the latest trends and technologies driving today's converting and package printing marketplace.

GMG Shows Continued Growth

GMG has opened an international office in Benelux and seen record sales increases for 2004.

New Companies To Exhibit at CMM 2005

More than 60 companies that didn’t exhibit at CMM 2003 have signed up for the 2005 show. These new companies will join nearly 500 exhibitors that have already reserved 200,000 sq. ft. of space. Show management expects these numbers to grow over the next few months before the show.

PPA Launches Student Design Challenge

The Paperboard Packaging Alliance (PPA) has launched its annual Student Design Challenge. The contest is open to any university student interested in packaging design and provides an opportunity for those students to showcase their impressive packaging designs.

Platics Machinery Named EREMA Agent

EREMA North America has named Plastics Machinery, LLC, as the exclusive sales agency for EREMA in Tennessee, Mississippi, Alabama, and Virginia.

Klockner Adds Vinyl and Shrink-Label Films Capacity

Klockner Pentaplast of America has announced two capacity expansions at its Rural Retreat, VA, manufacturing facility. The first expansion is in its core business of rigid vinyl film calendering, expected to come online in July 2005. The second is an expansion of a tentering capacity for full body shrink-label films, expected to start in fall 2005.

AWA Hosts Global Release Liner Industry Conference

AWA will host its Global Release Liner Industry Conference 2005 April 11-13, 2005, in Washington, DC. The conference program will feature speakers, a tabletop exhibition, round table forum, and more. A PDF of the conference brochure is available for download.

Harper Flexography Endowment Established at Cal Poly

Ron and Katherine Harper, founders of the Harper Corp. of America have made a donation to the Cal Poly Graphic Communication Dept.’s 60th anniversary fund-raising campaign. The donation established the Ron and Katherine Harper Endowment.

Mohawk to Purchase IP Fine Papers

Mohawk Paper Mills has signed a letter of intent to purchase the Fine Papers Business from International Paper (IP), Stamford, CT, including the writing, text, and covers papers and artist products segments. The transaction is subject to approval by Mohawk’s board of directors, but both Mohawk and IP expect to complete the transaction during the first quarter of 2005.

Smurfit-Stone Launches New Innovation Center

Smurfit-Stone Container Corp. has announced the opening of its new Innovation Center at the company’s Carol Stream, IL, facility.

Nordmeccanica Technology Supports New Dupont/Von Roll Isola USA Laminator Production Line

Nordmeccanica’s technology is behind the Duplex Combi Horizontal 1700 laminator, the machine supporting the start-up of a new laminator production line by DuPont and Von Roll Isola USA to support DuPont Nomex Laminate Systems.

Conference Alongside CMM Focuses on CPG/Converter Value Chain Relationship

Packaging Strategies announces the Consumer Packaging & Converting Connection event, a conference debuting during CMM Intl. 2005 offering sessions focusing on the relationship between senior-level executives at CPG companies and their converter partner/suppliers. The conference will be held April 18-19, 2005 as a separate program alongside the CMM Intl. general conference program.

PPC Reports Folding Carton Shipments Show Sustained Growth in 2004

According to the Paperboard Packaging Council (PPC), December was a strong month for folding carton shipments, which increased 4.3 percent by value and 2.8 percent by volume year-over year. For the full year 2004, folding carton shipments grew 4.4 percent by value, and 4.3 percent by volume. Based on projections, the folding carton market reached $9 billion in 2004. Measured by volume the market grew to 5,825 thousands of tons.

Ticona Increases Price of its Polyester Products

Ticona, the technical polymers business of Celanese Corp., Kelsterbach, Germany, will increase the price of its polyester products effective on all shipments made on or after February 14, 2005. This increase reflects the continuing rise of polyester feedstock costs, currently at record levels.

Kodak Acquires Creo

Eastman Kodak has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire Creo, a supplier of prepress systems for commercial printers. Kodak will pay approximately $980 million in cash ($16.50 per share) for all the outstanding shares of Creo on a fully diluted basis.

Converters Predict an Improving Economy in 2005

According to a recent survey conducted by CMM Intl., worldwide converting professionals project 2005 will be a year of solid economic growth. The almost 100 converters and converting machinery and materials suppliers polled also expressed opinions on company sales, hiring plans, industry challenges, and the CMM show in an e-mail survey conducted in December 2004.

Gidue Appoints New Distributor for Italy

With the appointment of Fabrizio Decio, GIDUE has named Outsoucing, Gallarte, Italy, a new distributor for Italy.

Centrexpo Announces Changes to Show Line-Up

Centrexpo’s board of directors have decided to discontinue GEC and extend the time interval between Graftalia and Converfelx to reflect the industry’s economic situation. The dates for Graftalia/Converflex are now May 2006 and May 2009.

Interpack 2005 is Larger Than Ever

interpack 2005, the 17th Intl. Trade Fair for Packaging Machinery, Packaging and Confectionery Machinery, has already booked over 2,200 exhibitors from 56 countries, reserving 1.7 million sq. ft. of net exhibit space in 18 halls. Messe Dusseldorf, the show’s organizers, reports the show has never before been so big.

AVT Wins FlexoTech Prize for Innovation

Advanced Vision Technology (AVT) has won the award for innovation in Printing Press/Finishing from the European Flexographic Technical Assn. (EFTA). EFTA presented the award for AVT’s SpectraLink system at the 2004 FlexoTech Intl. Print and Innovations Awards ceremonies in London.

ANI Reports Raw Material Supply Crisis for UV and Water-Based Inks

Based on recent negotiations with its key suppliers, ANI Printing Inks reports a drastic shortage of acrylic acid, one of the key base raw materials used to produce binders for UV and water-based inks. ANI further reports the short affects supply capabilities and prices.

New Report Focuses on Worldwide Nonwovens Industry

The Assn. of the Nonwoven Fabrics Industry (INDA) and the European Disposables and Nonwovens Assn. (EDANA) have compiled and published "Worldwide Outlook for the Nonwovens Industry," a report intended to guide manufacturers, suppliers, and converters of nonwovens into the future of the market--expected to grow more than seven percent a year through 2009.

Omron Donates Nearly $1 Million Towards Asian Tsunami Relief

Omron Corp., a leader in automation, sensing, and control technology, will donate 100 million yen (close to $1 million US dollars) through the Japan Community for UNICEF for victims of the Asian tsunami. Local Omron offices and affiliated companies will also offer donations.

Pamarco Will Become Exclusive UK and Ireland Distributor for Rotec

Effective February 1, 2005, Pamarco Global Graphics will become the exclusive distributor in UK and Ireland for Rotec, a member of the Day Intl. Group. Pamarco will sell the full range of Rotec sleeves, Greyback buildup material, and PRC plate cleaning machines.

EMA Opens Up Membership to Non-European Metallizers

Members of the European Metallizers Assn. at the autumn general meeting approved an amendment that will—for the first time—allow paper and film metallizers from outside of Europe to join the association.

Ipex 2006 Adds 6000 sqm to Broaden Reach

To accommodate expanded prepress coverage, Ipex 2006, sponsored by IIR Exhibitions, has secured tenancy of Hall 20 at Birmingham’s NEC.

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