PaperCo bolsters packaging arm with Parkside acquisition

PaperCo is continuing its expansion into the packaging market with the acquisition of carton and pallet merchant Parkside Packaging.

The London-based paper merchant expects Parkside to "perfectly complement" 1st Class Packaging, which it bought last year, as part of its strategy to create a "nationwide packaging business".

"With these acquisitions, we now have a healthy presence in industrial packaging, a base on which we will continue to grow," said managing director Alistair Gough.

Like 1st Class, Coventry-based Parkside, which has an annual turnover of £7m, will continue to operate as a separate business within PaperCo, maintaining its existing management team.

Parkside managing director Keith Hobbs said the firm was "excited" about the acquisition.

"The benefits of the new packaging group are vast and will become more evident as other packaging businesses come on board," he added.
Source: packagingnews

Ball Packaging to plough £13.5m into can-making upgrade

Ball Packaging Europe has announced it will invest £13.5m (EUR20m) to increase production at two of its Eastern European sites.

Some 20 new jobs will be created at its Radomsko site in Poland and its Hermsdorf plant in Germany.

The company said it will extend its production capacity by around 500m cans per year by 2008 by "up-speeding" the plants' existing can-making lines.

Ball added that it decided to upgrade its facilities to take advantage of the high growth rate in the European beverage can market, which, according to Beverage Can Makers Europe, grew by 8% in 2006.
Source: packagingnews

Materials costs and strike action tear into Rexam profits

Aluminium costs and a four-week strike in the US have cut Rexam's profits for the first half of the year by more than a third.

Despite a 3% increase in sales, the plastic packaging and can maker recorded a 37% drop in pre-tax profits to £97m compared with the first six months of 2006.

But chairman Rolf Börjesson said the results published today (July 31) were in line with expectations, and that the company was "confident" of future growth.

"The first half [of the year] was every bit as challenging as expected, with lower results masking significant progress in other areas," he added.

In beverage cans, sales increased across the company, with the exception of the US, where volumes declined by 10%. The company attributed this fall in part to the strikes at nine of its North American plants in May, which cost it £15m, but maintains that trading is now "back on track".

Sales of plastic packaging increased by 3%, and the £898m ($1.825bn) purchase of O-I Plastics announced in June is due to be completed on July 31.

In the past six months, Rexam has further consolidated its activities with the sale of its glass operations and the recent announcement of the acquisition of Russian can maker Rostar.

Since trading started today, Rexam's share price has risen by 3%, and remains at the same level as twelve months ago.
Source: packagingnews

PwC: China to pluck global paper top spot from US by 2015

China is expected to overtake North America as the largest producer of paper and board products by 2015, according to a PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) survey.

Chinese firm Nine Dragons Paper, for example, said it planned to take its packaging capacity to more than £4.9m (US$10m) by 2010, making it the largest containerboard producer in the world.

In spite of this, the Chinese producer is currently in 82nd place in PwC's latest Global Forest, Paper & Packaging Industry Survey, which tracks the financial performance of the Top 100 forest, paper and paper-based packaging companies.

"The top 100 firms currently and for many years to come will continue to be in North America and Europe," said Clive Suckling, forest paper and packaging leader at PwC.

However, they are under pressure to improve their returns from existing assets in the face of the prolonged depreciation of the US dollar against major world currencies, continuing oversupply and increasing energy, transportation and raw materials costs, he said.

"There are some good stories if you scrape away several layers, particularly in the emerging markets," said Suckling. "The capacity plans of Nine Dragons Paper, for example, are stunning. In addition, Brazilian producer Klabin is now the largest producer of corrugated in South America."

Latin America led the way in terms of return on capital employed, at 9.3%, followed by China (6.5%) and South Africa (5.5%). Canada's producers had the lowest return at 2%.
Source: packagingnews

"For the big firms in North America and Europe, the average return on capital employed was 5.1% in 2006, which doesn't cause any flag-waving," said Suckling. "They're not creating value."

The top 100 firms increased their sales by 5% to £175.2bn in 2006, with the number one spot held by US-based International Paper, which had sales of £10.8bn.

Europe posted combined sales of £55bn in 2006, up 10.8%, with Finland-based Stora Enso leading with sales of £9bn.

German packaging firm Gerresheimer going strong

German packaging firm Gerresheimer has reported healthy first half financial results, boosted by a series of strategic acquisitions and favourable market conditions, with the firm's recent initial public offering promising to help keep the outlook rosy.

Operating profits more than trebled over the first half, according to the company, coming in at €23.8m.

The company's sales for the first half of the year rose by 40 per cent over last year to hit €447.3m, largely due to sales from the Wilden Group, acquired by Gerresheimer at the beginning of the year.

The acquisition of the plastic drug delivery systems specialists is just one example of the company's drive to increase its presence at the forefront of the pharmaceutical packaging industry, having also acquired the pharma glass business of US firm Comar in March this year.

72 per cent of the company's sales for the first half were for products destined for the pharma and life sciences markets, with the key divisions of tubular glass, plastic systems and moulded glass all performing strongly.

The tubular glass segment improved first-half sales by just over 5 per cent compared to the equivalent period last year, reaching sales figures totalling €130.9m. Sales from the unit's syringe division were especially strong, particularly for ready-to-fill (RTF) syringes with sales increasing by 34 per cent over the first half 2007.

A second line for sterile ready-to-fill syringes (including glass machines and needle mounting lines) came online during the first half of the year, to help promote the continued growth of this segment.

The plastic systems division performed strongly, with sales reaching €135.9m, €109.8m of which was generated by the Wilden Group. Higher sales of dropper bottle systems, particularly for eye drops, also contributed to the unit's performance during the first half of the year.

The moulded glass division, which provides glass containers, infusion bottles and tablet jars among other packaging products to the pharma industry, also performed well over the first half, with sales growing by 7 per cent over the same period last year.

Sales from the unit reached €154.6m, due to growth in sales of pharmaceutical bottles and vials in Europe and North America, and cosmetics containers in Europe. Higher productivity and quality improvement also played a role in the performance of the segment, according to the company.

Gerresheimer's life science research division was the one unit that saw a drop in performance judging by the company's half year results.

The division concentrates on the production of specialised tubular glass products for R&D in the pharma and life sciences industries and general laboratory requirements. According to the firm's report, the 5.6 per cent decline in sales to €29.6m was primarily due to foreign exchange rates negatively impacting the financial results.

The company has been investing steadily over the first half, with €36.7m invested in fixed assets. The investments relate mainly to an overhaul of furnaces in the US for the tubular and moulded glass divisions, though also include a cash injection to increase capacity at the Wilden sites.

With the world market for pharmaceutical and life-science products showing strong growth with sustained annual growth rates of around 7 per cent, Gerresheimer has recognised the need to increase productivity to meet increased demand, and anticipates total investment for 2007 to therefore reach up to €95 - €100m.

Gerresheimer listed on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange's Prime Standard market in early June, with the initial public offering (IPO) bolstering the company's coffers by €456m. Although too late to have an impact on the company's first half results (which report up to the end of May), the cash boost is set to help reduce debts and finance further growth at the company.

The impact of the IPO will be clearer in the company's third quarter results, with the decreased interest burden expected to result in "a distinctly positive earnings contribution."

The company's performance over the second half of the year is anticipated to continue positively, with organic net sales growth for the year estimated at 8 - 9 per cent. The recent acquisition of Comar is set to boost sales figures in the tubular glass division, with the Comar pharma glass business achieving net sales of €3.4m over the first half.

The company is hoping that a recent joint venture with Thermo Fisher Scientific to provide products for use in pharmaceutical R&D will also improve the fortunes of the life science research unit.

Ever pursuing expansion plans, the company says that the future will hold further acquisitions, particularly in primary pharmaceutical packaging and drug delivery systems, as well as in diagnostics and life science research products.
Source: in-pharmatechnologist

Huge Growth Expected in Pharmaceutical Packaging

The pharmaceutical packaging market is expected to reach $34.3bn by 2011, up from $25.8bn in 2006, according to US researchers.

Freedonia Group says demand for pharmaceutical packaging is projected to increase 5.9% each year, and demand for primary pharmaceutical containers will rise by 6.5% annually to nearly $24bn.

Based on performance advantages in drug delivery and the introduction of bio-engineered medicines, prefillable inhalers and syringes will generate the fastest growth opportunities.

Child-resistant, senior-friendly and dispensing closures, compliance-enhanced prescription containers, high visibility labels, tamper-evident and anti-counterfeit accessories are also potential growth areas.
Source: packaging-technology

Global pharmaceutical packaging demand to exceed $34 billion in 2011

Developed countries in Western Europe, the United States, and Japan will account for nearly three-fourths of the demand for worldwide pharmaceutical packaging. The Freedonia Group projected this demand to increase 5.9% per year to more than $34 billion in 2011. In its new study, World Pharmaceutical Packaging, Freedonia notes that China will provide the strongest growth opportunities, while India and Brazil “will evolve into fast-growing pharmaceutical packaging markets as drug-producing sectors are upgraded and diversified,” especially generic drugs.

Among other findings in the report were the following:
• Easing government-imposed drug price controls and export growth will boost pharmaceutical packaging sales in Japan.
• Prefillable inhalers and prefillable syringes will generate opportunities based on benefits in drug delivery and the introduction of bio-engineered medicines. These will help increase global demand for primary pharmaceutical containers 6.5% annually through 2011 to nearly $24 billion.
• The world market for pharmaceutical closures and accessories will grow 4.5% per year to $10.6 billion in 2011, with the largest gains in child-resistant, senior-friendly, and disposing closures.
The 515-page report is available from The Freedonia Group for $5,800 by contacting Corinne Gangloff at 440/684-9600, or by e-mailing pr@freedoniagroup.com.
Source: healthcare-packaging

Ramsey Press Recognized For Print Quality In Competition

Ramsey Press of Mahwah, NJ, was awarded a Benny, the highest honor in the 2007 Premier Print Awards, for their entry “The Ayer”.

The Premier Print Awards, the graphic arts industry’s largest and most prestigious worldwide printing competition recognizes outstanding achievement in print production. Ramsey Press received their “Benny” for booklets (4 or more colors, printers with 21-50 employees.

The Premier Print Awards are the printing industry’s oldest and largest worldwide graphic arts competition, hosted by PIA/GATF. In its 58th year, the annual contest recognizes those responsible for the creation and production of print communications. The event promotes excellence in print communications and rewards companies and individuals who produce the very best in print media.

This year, over 5100 entries were received from printing and graphic arts firms from around the world, and judges awarded the Benny to the top entry in each category. “As a woman-owned, high-quality, boutique commercial printer, the competition can be tough,” said Nicole Colon, President of Ramsey Press. “But we are very proud of our work and even more proud of our client satisfaction with our work. It’s an honor to be recognized by the industry as a company that produces award winning print.”

Michael Makin, president and CEO of PIA/GATF, agrees. “The Benny winners represent the best our industry has to offer. This years entries were outstanding. There were entries from companies in 18 countries. Despite the fierce competition Ramsey Press, through hard work and dedicated craftsmanship, produced a piece worth of the Benny.”

Ramsey Press will receive their Benny Award at The Premier Print Gala, which honors all the companies that had the top award conferred upon them. The 2007 Gala is scheduled on Sunday, September 9 at the Chicago Hilton, Chicago, IL
Source: printingnews

Pre-filled syringe packaging considerations

Market demand for pre-filled syringes is growing faster than suppliers can build capacity, with project lead times pushing 35 months. This fact was revealed during a Q&A session following a presentation on trends in biotechnology at Optima Pharma Group’s open house, held in Germany in June.

Amgen's Dr. Vinay Radhakrishnan, addressed the crowd of more than 100 visitors at Optima Group's open house in Schwabisch Hall, Germany. Radhakrishnan, principal scientist, drug product & device development at Amgen in Thousand Oaks, CA, told the audience one market driver for pre-filled syringes is monoclonal antibody therapies, rapidly becoming a major chemical modality for pharmaceutical and biotech companies.

Current multi-million dollar offerings include Enbrel, Remicade and Humira, for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis.

But there are many issues you have to consider when planning a filling and packaging line for these proteins. The dosing requirement for these large molecules is two orders of magnitude larger than small protein molecules, causing some doses to exceed 150 mg/ml.

These doses may be too large for a pre-filled syringe, Radhakrishan said, calling for a subcutaneous infusion pump instead. He admitted the market in Europe for pre-filled syringes is much larger than the U.S., but argued that these devices lead to better patient compliance, particularly if in a liquid state. A dose in a pre-filled syringe can be administered at home, rather than going to the doctor who has to reconstitute the lyophilized powder.

Radhakrishan also noted a shift from reusable to disposable syringes where compliance is again optimized.

Both the silicon oil used to lubricate the delivery device, and vibration during shipping can cause aggregation of the protein which can compromise the efficacy of the drug.
“Tight specifications from the supplier, particularly in the plunger, are critical,” said Radhakrishan. “And extensive shipping tests must be done to determine the best method with the least aggregation.”

High-speed, highly automated packaging lines are required to compete effectively as well, said Radhakrishan.
Source: healthcare-packaging

Biopackaging push needed from government says report

A lack of government policies and slow industry takeup of biopackaging represents a missed branding opportunity for drinks manufacturers, according to a new report.

About 10 million litres of beverages sold worldwide were packaged in compostable bottles last year according to a report from Zenith International.

The amount marks a 150 per cent gain over the previous year and represents a retail market value of €23m according to consultancy's drinks biopackaging report.

Over the past five years packaging suppliers have been introducing various forms of biodegradable plastics. These are made from a variety of plants, in the main corn, in response to projections that consumers and recycling regulations will drive demand for environmentally-friendly packaging.

Despite such strong growth, the low take up shows the global beverage industry has yet to embrace bioplastics, said Gary Roethenbaugh, the company's research director.

"Bioplastics, such as polylactic acid (PLA), have been readily incorporated into compost bags, catering products, supermarket shopping bags and increasingly food packaging," he said. "For beverage manufacturers, however, while the environmental virtues of compostable plastic bottles resonate well with consumers, a number of challenges remain."

Biopackaging presents an opportunity for increased sustainability and branding in the drinks industry, he said.

"Drinks that connect with nature, health and wellbeing are today's early adopters of biopackaging, such as smoothie operator Innocent and a range of bottled water producers like Belu in Europe and others in the US," said Roethenbaugh. "But recycled PET is also building momentum as a more sustainable alternative to regular PET. The beverage industry is at risk of falling behind other food applications for biopackaging unless there is more government support."

Biopackaging refers to plastics that break down so that no residue remains in the environment.

The Zenith report fond that more government and municipal programmes need to be designed to separate bioplastics from existing polyethylene terephthalate (PET) recycling and waste management processes.
Separated bioplastic bottles then need to be integrated into large scale commercial composting facilities, the report stated.

"Reduced sales taxes on drinks biopackaging would also stimulate this essentially embryonic concept," the report stated. "Without government incentives for the use of bioplastic bottles, a major new product development opportunity is at risk of being squandered."

Nevertheless, companies continue to experiment with compostable packaging. Zenith projects that volumes will multiply fivefold in Western Europe and North America to 135 million litres by 2011.

With the development of improved infrastructure and economies of scale, the figure could be massively higher, the firm stated.
Source: foodproductiondaily

Moisture-Tight Foilless Lid Unveiled

Ampac Flexibles has unveiled the first high-moisture barrier lidstock without a foil layer which is suitable for universal application.

Flexi-Free 6985 is a transparent two-ply lid that can seal to trays, cups and other containers made from a wide variety of plastics.

It is made from polyvinylidene chloride coasted polyester and a peelable sealant layer.
Ampac says the moisture barrier characteristics make it ideal for use with powders or gels and liquids to reduce evaporation.
Source: packaging-technology

Heidelberg toasts post-press success in full-year profits

Heidelberg's post-press division has made its first-ever profit, according to the manufacturer's full-year figures for the year ending 31 March 2007.

The headline results revealed revenues up 6% to £2.57bn (€3.8bn) leading to a net profit of £177.75m. The German giant intends to issue a dividend of 64p – nearly 50% higher than last year.

The company's order book increased 7% year on year, with a backlog worth around £675.9m as of 31 March. Heidelberg chief executive Bernhard Schreier said this would use up much of the company's manufacturing facilities for the first half of its 2008 year.

All markets showed strong growth in orders, bar the Asia Pacific region, which was hit by the Chinese government decision to stop waiving import duties for printing presses other than A1-format machines. The taxes add a quarter to the cost of presses imported into the country.

The big success story for the company, however, was the turnaround of its post-press division, which finally posted its first profit.

Orders jumped 9% and revenues almost 12%, generating a profit of £4.73m.

Schreier said new product launches and production improvements put the division into the black, after last year's £2.02m loss.

Drupa also featured strongly in adding to the company's upcoming product portfolio.

"We will be presenting numerous additional offerings and solutions at Düsseldorf that are set to further improve the effectiveness, efficiency and productivity of our customers' operations," said Schreier.

It will also target the packaging sector with a demo booth for the industry.

Alongside this, Heidelberg is to demonstrate new very-large-format presses capable of handling widths of 1,450mm and 1,620mm.

The company will open a new £29m, 35,000sqm factory for the XL 145 and 162 series presses at the Wiesloch-Walldorf plant in the next few weeks.

Schreier said that gunning for larger formats is a safe bet for the company, describing them as "relatively independent of economic developments", because larger formats increasingly lend themselves to package or even label printing.

The company set its guidance for 2008 with a target of net profits at 5% of revenues.
Source: printweek

Xerox Unveils Green Paper

Aligning business innovation with environmental responsibility, Xerox Corporation today unveiled a first-of-its-kind paper for digital printing that uses half as many trees as traditional paper, while lowering the cost to mail printed material.

Developed by scientists and engineers at the Xerox Media and Compatibles Technology Center, a lab devoted to paper innovation located in Webster, N.Y., the Xerox High Yield Business Paper is a mechanical fiber paper that overcomes operational problems, such as curling and dust, which until now prevented mechanical fiber papers from being used with digital print devices.

Xerox High Yield Business Paper is made through a “greener” process than standard paper used with digital printers. For example, High Yield Business Paper uses 90 percent of the tree versus only 45 percent being used to create traditional digital printing paper. In addition, High Yield Business Paper requires less water and chemicals and is produced in a plant using hydroelectricity to partially power the pulping process. This process reduces fossil fuel use and results in up to a 75 percent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions.

“What’s good for the environment and what’s good for business come together in the Xerox High Yield Business Paper,” said Steve Simpson, vice president and general manager, Xerox Paper and Supplies Business Unit. “This paper brings the benefits of traditional mechanical fiber paper to digital printers who produce high quality, shorter-life print applications. And it delivers an environmentally friendly option with increased savings to our customers.”

The lighter weight of High Yield Business Paper makes it ideal for transactional printers and direct-mail centers seeking to reduce shipping costs. A printer who used a carton of the new paper to print and mail 1,000 5-sheet sets of a document would save $80 in mailing costs because of its lighter weight.

Xerox believes print shops will use it to preprint offset shells for transactional documents like invoices, statements, and direct mail pieces, then use a digital press to add highlight color or personalized information, such as names and regional details, to draw attention to documents. The paper can be used to produce manuals, catalogs and brochures, all key digital print jobs for commercial and in-plant printers.

The pulp used for Xerox’s uncoated 45 lb. text (17.7 lb. bond/67 gsm) sheet is produced by mechanically grinding wood into papermaking pulp instead of using the chemical pulping process traditional for producing digital business papers. The mechanical process converts more than 90 percent of wood weight to papermaking fiber, double the 45 percent yield from chemical pulping.

Xerox High Yield Business Paper has 10 percent more sheets per pound yet performs like 50 lb. text (20 lb. bond/75 gsm) made by a chemical pulping process, which is the most widely used type of paper for digital printing and copying. This reduces the cost per roll or 500-sheet ream, helping print providers increase profit margins.

With opacity – show-through resistance – equal to that of traditional 60 lb. text (24 lb. bond/90 gsm), the result is high quality, two-side printing where images and text on one side are barely visible from the other side of the paper.

“The functionality, weight and brightness of Xerox’s High Yield Business Paper opens up new application opportunities and cost savings to print providers using digital equipment,” said Merilyn Dunn, director, InfoTrends Communication Supplies Consulting Service. “This mechanical fiber paper fills a gap in the printing industry and is a great addition to Xerox’s extensive paper portfolio.”

High Yield Business Paper has a level of 84 brightness on a scale of one to 100 with 100 being the brightest and is whitened using a chlorine-free process. This softer shade allows for easy reading, making it ideal for short-run books, educational printing such as supplemental course books and worksheets, and temporary business documents, which do not need a long archival life.

Xerox High Yield Business Paper is designed to work on a variety of digital systems, including the Xerox DocuTech® and Xerox Nuvera® production families, Xerox 4110 Enterprise Printing Systems and Xerox continuous-feed digital printers. The product is offered in 10-ream cartons of 500 8.5" x 11" sheets or in 40" and 50" diameter rolls.
Source: printingnews

xpedx and RYOBI to Show New Multi-Color Offset Press at Graph Expo

xpedx and RYOBI join together at Chicago’s Graph Expo 2007 in booth 3808 to show printers what’s new at the two companies. Highlights include the U.S. debut and live demos of the new 36x24”, 4-color RYOBI 924 offset press as well as demos of RYOBI’s highly advanced half- and quarter-size presses with dryers, coaters and UV systems. xpedx, exclusive U.S. marketer and distributor of RYOBI-branded presses, will discuss details on its new metro Kansas City demonstration and learning center for U.S. commercial, in-plant and specialty printers. The center opens in October.

Also in the Graph Expo booth, xpedx will demo its new, easy-to-use and affordable 3D/special effects lenticular printing system for color copiers. It will also show new bindery/finishing equipment offerings from xpedx and new proofing technologies. The company will spotlight a new program to help printers profitably enter variable data short-run markets and will discuss its program to help U.S. printers obtain SFI and FSC chain-of-custody certification. xpedx will also highlight specialized offerings available to printers from its North American network of more than 140 retail print and graphics stores.
Source: printingnews

UK's push to rejig European pack laws destined for failure

The government looks set to fail in an attempt to persuade the European Commission to reform laws on packaging minimisation.

It has emerged that former environment secretary David Miliband wrote to European environment commissioner Stavros Dimas in late May, as the government published its Waste Strategy for England, asking for changes to the wording of the Packaging (Essential Requirements) Regulations.

Government officials also visited Brussels to state the case that the regulations needed to be tightened so authorities could take action against so-called 'excessive' packaging. There have only been four successful prosecutions under the regulations in the UK.

Miliband said "subjective criteria" in the regulations, including references to 'consumer acceptance' and 'product presentation and marketing', made enforcement difficult.

"You may like to consider whether the Commission should review these provisions, so that member states' authorities can take more effective enforcement action against clear cases of excessive packaging," he wrote.

A Commission spokeswoman said the regulations could only be changed during the next revision of the Packaging and Packaging Waste Directive.

But no date has been set for this revision and the Commission has already concluded that packaging targets for 2009 to 2014 should be maintained at current levels.

The spokeswoman also said it was "impossible to state today whether there will be a need to revise the targets going beyond 2014".

The UK's points may, however, be on the agenda of the next meeting of the Commission's Article 21 technical committee, which is due to take place on 5 September.

Julian Carroll, managing director of the European Organisation for Packaging and the Environment, said the Commission was in "no mood" to change the regulations as it would mean reopening the Packaging Directive and would need the approval of 27 member states.

Packaging Federation chief executive Dick Searle also slammed the government's efforts, saying: "If you remove consumer acceptance, that means minimal packaging. It would be like a command economy."

Rodney Steel, chief executive of the British Contract Manufacturers and Packers Association, said that in many cases "packaging is the product".

"Would the government propose that Easter eggs should be 'adequately' packaged in a stout paper bag filled with crumpled newspaper or would they prefer to ban Easter altogether?" he asked.

"The industry's investment in packaging design and innovation deserves applause – not legislation and accusations of 'get-outs'."

The Industry Council for Packaging and the Environment also pointed out that official figures show that packaging has grown by less in the UK and France, the two countries that have enforced the regulations, than in the other 15 main member states.
Source: packagingnews

Southern Connecticut Printer Times its Move Perfectly

Responsiveness to market conditions and new technology are what make Champ Direct Printing & Mailing an effective and profitable printing company. During the 48 years the firm has been in business in Connecticut, it has responded and adapted to the changing business climate in the Tri-State area.

Recently, two things have dramatically changed the way the company conducts its business. Champ's move 18 minutes east on I-95 from Bridgeport to Milford, in October 2006, was perfectly timed to help grow the company physically. The Milford facility offers 150,000 sq. ft of space for offices and a prepress department, a huge pressroom/bindery with plenty of room for new equipment, a warehouse section for storage or rental, a cafeteria, and a gym for employees.

Next, Champ's purchase of a new 10-color coated web press and the addition of a mailing department ramped up the capabilities, and allowed it to offer a one-stop-shop concept to clients.

"We expect to be up 20 percent for 2007," notes Paul Featherston, president and owner, "even with the lost portion of the last quarter of 2006 and a portion of the first quarter for the move."

Mr. Featherston believes the move to Milford was worth the money (about $2 million) and the time. "We were looking to move for two years. Bridgeport didn't offer us any firm incentive to stay, so we left," he explains. "We redid this facility from the ground up—running environmental tests on the soil, redoing the landscaping, refinishing the floors in the pressroom, installing trigger lighting, and improving the HVAC system."

He attributes the company's double-digit growth to its new 10-color Heidelberg Harris press. With it, the company can efficiently produce letters, brochures, self-mailers, blow-in cards, business reply cards, coupons, and promotional items for a variety of companies, including financial and non-profit organizations.

"We can produce about 60-80 million coupons a month," explains Mike Klausman, vice president of sales. "We had a built-in client base for the heatset web work, as most of our existing base was already using coated printers to do work. The savings in freight, and in many cases the printing itself, can be substantial.

"The heatset web has given us a broader base, as we can now attempt to sell to many companies that print enormous quantities of coated work for package inserts, bank and credit card statement inserts, and free-standing inserts for newspapers and direct mail packages," he continued.

Three outstanding pieces Champ produced recently show the high-quality work the company is known for, and the diversity of the firms it calls clients.

Champ printed 500,000 promotional brochures for U.S. Presidential coins. It was a 5.5x8.5" piece on 60-pound coated text. It printed 9-up on a 26x17.75" sheet. A travel piece (Champ printed 4.5 million) was 3.5x7" on 70-pound coated text, and ran 15-up on a 23x17.75" sheet. And the Unilock pavers promotional piece was 5.75x8.5" printed on 10-pt. C1S stock, and ran 8-up on a 23.5x17.75" sheet.

The recent addition of a mailing department has meant Champ keeps work in-house. The company invested in a Kirk-Rudy Net Jet System (inkjet addressing), an Axode Barcode Scanner (similar to USPS Merlin Testing), and a Mailcrafters six-station inserter, Model 9800 (6x9").

According to Vice President, Mailing Services Bob Schlump, "In addition to convenience, our clients save time and money by avoiding shipments to another mailer. We can and do coordinate our printing and mailing schedules to meet or exceed our clients' needs.

"Another benefit comes from our proof checking for compliance with postal regulations before a job is printed. Because our mailing services are part of Champ, we can share expenses and pass the savings on to our valued customers," he added.
Source: printingnews

UK Calls For Tighter Packaging Control

The UK has asked the European Commission to tighten a loophole in EU packaging law that allows companies to use excessive amounts of packaging.

The EU directive allows companies to claim the packaging is necessary to gain 'consumer acceptance' and 'product presentation and marketing'.

In a letter to EU Environment Commissioner Stavros Dimas in May, then UK Environment Secretary David Milliband suggested a review of the directive as UK consumers felt 'very strongly' about excessive packaging.

In the letter, which was obtained by industry website letsrecycle.com, Milliband told the commissioner of the UK's plans to amend packaging producer responsibility regulations in an effort to clamp down on excess packaging.

Milliband pointed out just four companies have been prosecuted for excess packaging in the ten years the directive has been in force in the UK.

He says a review should be considered so that member states' authorities can take "more effective enforcement action against clear cases of excess packaging".
Source: packaging-technology

Plastics Put Glass Industry Under Threat

The glass packaging market is facing a meagre growth rate, largely due to the threat represented by plastics, analysts say.

In their report on the glass packaging market, Global Industry Analysts noted the plastics industry is expected to outpace all other packaging materials due to its continuing technological advancement and performance benefits.

The glass packaging market is expected to reach sales of 319 billion units - worth $36.5bn - by 2010.

The report says consumer beverages make up 75% of total world consumption of glass packaging - this is expected to grow by 2.9% in terms of value.

"Prestige drinks such as champagne, beer and other fizzy drinks, traditionally marketed in glass bottles, are important for maintaining the brand image and quality consciousness of the consumer," the report says.

"Although Europe retains the largest chunk of over 42% of the glass packaging demand, the Asia Pacific market is expected to post strong results in the coming years, mostly due to promising performance from the Chinese market."
Source: packaging-technology

Daval Litho chooses MAN Roland 500

Daval Litho has increased productivity with its first MAN Roland press.

The B2 five-colour plus coater Roland 500 replaces a straight five-colour Komori.

Because of the machine's coating functions, the London-based printer can put fewer print jobs through twice when applying special colour requirements.

Daval Litho managing director Allen Nash said: "While we have had a long-standing relationship with Komori, we looked at a full range of machines from all major suppliers.

"MAN Roland's offering gave us everything we needed and, in our opinion, is the best press currently on the market."

Nash added that the new press will reduce makeready times as it can execute these processes while the previous print job is still running.

It will run a Kodak Prinergy Evo-based front-end system.

The company has also bought MAN Roland's ColorPilot system for colour management.

The 20-staff firm has a turnover of £1.5m.
Source: printweek

Fespa and Infotrends link for wide-format study

Print association Fespa has teamed up with print market research specialist Infotrends to collect data on the European wide-format market.

The online survey includes questions on the location, size and markets served by participants as well as their primary customer type, sales and marketing spend, training requirements, the equipment used and their business confidence.

"There is lots of research covering the US wide-format market, but there was nothing comprehensive covering Europe," said Fespa group commercial manager Marcus Timson.

Firms that take part in the online survey, which takes less than five minutes to complete, will receive a copy of the executive summary on the status of the European market. Infotrends and Fespa are also selling the results to equipment vendors to help them tailor products and services to market needs.
Source: printweek

Packaging makeover for historic cereal Mornflake

An oat cereal brand with a 300-year pedigree has been given its most significant packaging makeover in 50 years.

In-house designers at Morning Foods in Crewe, Cheshire, have given Mornflake cereals distinctive new packaging to capture the brand's heritage, while emphasising its natural ingredients and health benefits.

The range includes bags of jumbo oats, organic oats, oatbran and oatmeal.

Mornflake retailer sales director Alan Cullom said the new packaging aimed to increase the brand's on-shelf visibility.

The new oatmeal and oatbran bags are in block-bottom format, meaning they stand up on shelf rather than lie flat. They are supplied in shelf-ready outer cases of 10 packs, reduced from 20, to allow easier distribution to independent retailers.

Mornflake marketing manager Richard Jones said the brand has been brought up to date by giving it a "fresh and consistent feel" across the product range.

"We've invested in shelf-ready packaging that is either perforated or with ripper tapes. The products are just in bags, without an additional box, and the outer cases, now printed in colour, are made from recycled board," he said.

Printing firms Alcan Workington, MMP, and Bischoff & Klein produced the mix of polythene, film and laminate packaging.

The new design will initially be seen on the Mornflake porridge range and rolled out across the full portfolio over the next few months.
Source: printweek

World pharma packaging set for solid growth

Worldwide demand for pharmaceutical packaging is set to grow steadily over the coming years growing to over $30bn (€21.7bn) by 2011, according to a new report published this week.

Increasingly sophisticated drug products and more stringent government requirements are driving developments in some forms of pharmaceutical packaging, with emerging markets also set to become more prominent players on the packaging stage.

The new report, published by The Freedonia Group, notes that the developed countries of Western Europe, the US and Japan will continue to account for 75 per cent of the market, forecast to hit $34bn by 2011 and $45bn by 2016.

However, China - despite recent concerns regarding product safety and quality standards - will provide the strongest growth opportunities, according to the report's authors. Rapidly expanding manufacturing capabilities prompted by the increased interest in such low-cost manufacturing destinations, coupled with an extensive government programme to improve the quality of the medicines produced in the country are the driving factors for the region's favourable outlook.

A similar pattern is likely to develop in India and Brazil, according to the report, as these countries also upgrade their drug-producing capabilities, particularly in the area of generic ethical drugs.

The US, unsurprisingly, is set to remain the largest consumer of pharmaceutical packaging over the coming years. The region's advanced drug sector is gradually introducing more and more sophisticated therapies with specialised packaging needs, driving innovation and high packaging standards.

In Western Europe, demand will be driven by upgraded government standards requiring unit dose, high-barrier and anti-counterfeit packaging for many types of medication, say the report authors.

The pharmaceutical packaging market in Japan is also due to experience healthy growth as a result of more relaxed price controls and improved export market penetration.

World demand for primary packaging containers will see a 6.5 per cent increase annually through to 2011, to nearly $24bn ($32bn by 2016), according to report figures. This will largely be driven by prefillable inhalers and prefillable syringes, based on performance advantages in drug delivery and the introduction of new bioengineered medicines.

Blister packaging is expected to continue its favourable growth rate, driven by its adaptability to unit dose, clinical trial and over-the-counter (OTC) drugs among others. Blister packaging will also benefit from advances in equipment, with improved changeover features of processing machinery making blisters more cost-efficient in small-volume drug applications, according to the report authors.

Packaging solutions likely to see a more restrained demand include IV containers, vials and ampoules, glass bottles and jars, and aerosol cans, caused by shortcomings in performance compared to other alternative container options.

Primary closures are expected to grow at a slightly lower rate, with demand increasing at 4.5 per cent annually to $10.6bn by 2011 ($13.2bn by 2016). The closures market is likely to see an increased focus on tamper-evident and anti-counterfeiting accessories, which will see the fastest gains, but also continued interest in child-resistant and senior-friendly solutions.

Again, stricter industry and government standards will help drive demand for these products, with emphasis on safety, security and ease of use.

There are currently around 2,000 companies in the pharmaceutical packaging business around the world. 28 per cent of the 2006 market was held by just eight of these companies: MeadWestvaco, Amcor, Owens-Illinois, Cardinal Health Pharmaceutical Technologies and Services, Becton Dickinson, Gerresheimer Holdings, Alcan and Schott.

However, 2007 is likely to see the landscape shift due to changes with some of these major players, including the divestiture of Cardinal Health's PTS unit and its relaunch as Catalent, and the sale of Owens-Illinois plastics packaging business to Rexam earlier this year.
Source: in-pharmatechnologist

MSO Group boosts labels market share with Labelsco acquisition

Northern Ireland packaging company MSO Group has bought self-adhesive label printer Labelsco in Leicester.

Dominic Walsh, chief executive of Belfast-based MSO Group, said Labelsco was "one of the best" self-adhesive labelling companies in the UK and a "superb fit" for his business.

"There has been a lot of consolidation in the print and packaging sector for negative reasons, but we are buying Labelsco in order to grow our business in the UK and Ireland," he said.

The label printer produces self-adhesive labels for a number of industries, including pharmaceuticals, food, household and DIY, horticulture, health and beauty, and automotive.

It employs 125 staff and reported a pre-tax profit of £335,000 on sales of £9.5m in the year to 31 March 2006.

Labelsco also won two World Label Awards last year for self-adhesive labels produced for Tesco and Charisma.

The acquisition is MSO Group's second in the labels sector following last year's purchase of Hannibal Labels, also based in Leicester, which is now part of MSO Cleland under managing director Noel Branagh.

MSO Group's turnover in the self-adhesive labelling sector is now around £23m. Overall group turnover is £55m.

The group also added carton printer Storey Evans in Bradford to its portfolio last year and later shut its Galloways packaging plant in Manchester as part of its strategy to streamline the business following the acquisition. At the time, Walsh said the firm was looking to make further acquisitions in other markets.

Bank of Ireland financed this latest purchase and said it represented an "excellent growth opportunity".
Source: packagingnews

Water vending machine uses RFID to track bottles

Healthy, environmentally friendly and delivered in a minimum time period - a new water vending machine uses radio frequency identification (RFID) to hit all the market trends.

The new Aquaduct system, designed by S2C Global to deliver recyclable, five-gallon plastic bottles of water directly to the customer, targets a growing number of consumers who are time poor, but still have concerns over unhealthy products that damage the environment.

According to the manufacturer, consumers purchase bottled water through outdoor vending machines with a credit, debit or pre-paid aqua card.

The bottles are fitted with radio frequency identification (RFID) tags for automated returns and bottle deposit refunds, providing the consumer with an accurate and easy way of recycling the product, the company said.

"Our AquaDuct machine will not only provide North American consumers with the convenience they are used to, but most importantly it will aide in recycling the use of bottles by approximately 30 per cent, consequently saving space in landfills" said Rob Bartlett, chief executive officer of S2C Global Systems.

"The S2C AquaDuct also puts the profit back into the distribution of five-gallon bottled water by reducing distribution costs by as much as 75 per cent," he added.

Fears over environmental damage because of plastic water bottles have grown over recent months, as sales of non-carbonated and healthy drinks have rocketed.

According to environmental researchers Worldwatch, global consumption of bottled water has doubled between 1997 and 2005, reaching $10bn (€7.4bn) in the US alone, meaning that the country sends two million tons of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) bottled water packaging to landfill each year.

In 2005, the recycling rate for PET was only 23.1 per cent in the US, far below the 39.7 per cent rate achieved a decade earlier, according to Worldwatch. Across Europe, the PET recycling rate averages between 20 and 40 per cent.

S2C Global Systems Inc. (S2C), designs and manufactures systems for the automated handling of bulk pre-packaged products. According to the company website, it will this year aim to become a "major player" in the US $9bn (€6.5bn) water industry.
Source: packwire

Case Packer utilizes servo-drive technology

Operating at 30 cases/min, ServoPro 8255 eliminates all drive chains and belts, minimizing number of moving parts. System includes Allen-Bradley control architecture with color touch-screen user interface, which electronically stores machine changeover settings for each control axis. ServoPro is available with stainless steel frame and wash-down construction. Electrical packages include NEMA 4, NEMA 4X, and NEMA 12.
Source: thomasnet

Pactiv profit inches higher, helped by Prairie purchase

Food packager Pactiv Corp. reported late Monday a 1% increase in second-quarter profit, boosted by its $1 billion acquisition of Prairie Packaging.

For the three months ended June 30, Pactiv (PTV) said net income rose to $70 million, or 53 cents a share, from $69 million, or 49 cents a share, a year ago. Earnings from continuing operations totaled 52 cents a share.

Sales for the quarter rose 10% to $828 million, helped by its acquisition of Prairie Packaging.

The results outpaced the 48 cents-per-share expected by analysts polled by Thomson Financial. Sales were also better than the $787 million Wall Street had been looking for.

The Lake Forest, Ill., company, whose consumer products span from Hefty plastic bags to disposable dinnerware, predicted sales would rise 11% to 13% for the year, adding that it expects a profit of 41 cents to 45 cents a share in the third quarter and $1.82 a share to $1.92 for the full year, including a 2- to 4-cent per share gain from its Prairie Packaging purchase.

Pactiv closed the Prairie Packaging deal in June. At the time, Pactiv said it expected the maker of disposable tableware products to post $500 million in sales this year.

Analysts forecast Pactiv will make 45 cents in the third quarter and $1.85 for the year.

Pactiv shares rose 1.9% ahead of the report to close at $32.07. The company's share price is down 11.8% so far this year.
Source: lexisnexis

Greif Opens IBC Manufacturing Plant in Kazan, Russia

Greif, Inc.(NYSE:GEF)(NYSE:GEF.B)recently opened its eighth industrial packaging plant in Russia. Located in Kazan, the new plant currently produces intermediate bulk containers (IBCs). By the end of 2008, the plant will also produce plastic canisters and large steel drums, and employ nearly 100 people.

Greif Chairman, CEO and President Michael J. Gasser said, "Russia continues to be an important growth market for Greif, and we are committed to providing our customers in the country with world-class quality, cost- effective industrial packaging and services for their products. Our Kazan operation adds the new element of IBCs to our existing Russian product portfolio of steel drums and water bottles. We are excited about our new capability and the benefits it brings to our customers in the region."

Greif is a world leader in industrial packaging products and services. The Company produces steel, plastic, fibre, corrugated and multiwall containers, protective packaging and containerboard, and provides blending and packaging services for a wide range of industries. Greif also manages timber properties in North America. The Company is strategically positioned in 45 countries to serve global as well as regional customers.
Source: lexisnexis

German, Swiss Inventors Develop Greasy Multilayered Packaging Product

Thomas Luck of Munchen, Germany, Claudia Schonweitz of Freising, Germany, Peter Pawlak of Zscherndorf, Germany, and Rolf Kippenhahn of Eschenbach, Switzerland, have developed a multilayered packaging for greasy products.

According to the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office: "The invention relates to a multilayered packaging for greasy products or part of said packaging, comprising a carrier layer made of a polymer material as main component and at least one layer placed on said carrier layer that does not form the outer side of the packaging, said layer containing a starch derivative as main component."

An abstract of the invention, released by the Patent Office, said: "The invention is characterized in the starch derivative is a starch derivative modified with a Carbon (C) sub 2 C sub 6-alkylene oxide. The invention also relates to the use of a C sub 2 C sub 6-alkylene oxide derivatized starch as main component of a layer of a multilayered packaging, which is placed on a carrier layer made of a polymer material in said packaging with the aim of rendering said multilayered packaging grease-tight."
Source: lexisnexis

Long Life lands UK supply deals for breathable food packaging

Long Life Solutions has secured major deals to supply its SmartLiner breathable membrane packaging to UK supermarkets for wrapping cucumbers.

The SmartLiner bag can keep a cucumber fresh for up to 40 days if the East Lothian-based firm's storage guidelines are followed.

A survey by the Cucumber Growers' Association found that shrinkwrapped cucumbers stayed fresh for about 14 days and, although they were starting to grow soft, did not show any sign of fungal infections.

However, Long Life Solutions said its packaging had higher gas permeability than shrinkwrap, allowing greater inflow of oxygen and outflow of carbon dioxide. This inhibits the spread of bacteria and keeps the cucumber fresher and hydrated for longer.

Chief executive Andrew Wright said the SmartLiner bag would "reduce packaging waste by 2,800 tonnes at the consumer end" by taking shrinkwrap out of the supply chain.

"We are eliminating commodity packaging that adds zero value," he added.

The firm is also looking at using the SmartLiner bag for wrapping iceberg lettuces and cauliflowers.

Wright said the product had also been found to keep bread, fish, flowers and dairy products fresher than conventional packaging.

"Over the next two years, dairy will be our biggest market, particularly milk and cheese," he said. "We have been able to keep cheese fresh for up to five weeks."
Source: packagingnews

Demand Leads to 'Green' Metallic Paperboard Laminate

A UK company has developed a biodegradable substitute for metallic paperboard laminates in response to growing demand from retailers and consumers.

API Laminates says PortaBio is a 'technological breakthrough' which is also environmentally friendly.

PortaBio is a bio-laminate made from natural cellulose-based fibres sourced from managed forests, which are processed and laminated to provide a high-gloss metallic surface which is especially suited to luxury consumer packaging.

Paperboard laminates are traditionally made using metalised polyester films and polyethylene, which are difficult and costly to manage as waste.
Source: packaging-technology

Packaging Company Considers Rail Link

A UK packaging company is investigating building a rail link between its factory and its nearest port in an effort to cut transportation costs.

The Iggesund Paperboard factory in Cumbria is to undertake a feasibility study looking at building a rail link between the factory and the Port of Workington, newswire The Press Association reports.

Talks are underway between the Cumbria Country Council and Network Rail to improve transport links between the port and the company.

Port managers, the Workington Harbour Board, will receive a report on all the options after the study is completed in October.
Source: packaging-technology

Dow ties with Brazilian ethanol firm on mammoth polyethylene project

Polyethylene made from sugar cane will be available on a huge scale for packaging through a joint venture between Dow Chemical Company and Brazilian ethanol producer Crystalsev.

The Brazil-based production facility, which will start to operate in 2011, will serve both domestic and international customers.

Dow said it would make Dowlex PE resins for applications such as food packaging, milk jugs, plastic containers, pipes and liners.

Dow chairman and chief executive Andrew Liveris said the new site would be "the first world-scale PE facility to use a renewable feedstock".

The 350,000-tonne-capacity plant will use ethanol derived from sugar cane to produce ethylene, which is the raw material used in PE, the world's most widely used plastic.

The new process will produce significantly less carbon dioxide than the traditional PE manufacturing process.

The sugar cane-based PE will also be fully recyclable using existing methods.
Source: packagingnews

DS Smith to focus on RRP manufacturing upgrades

DS Smith plans to concentrate capital expenditure for 2007/08 on the extension of manufacturing facilities for retail-ready packaging (RRP) in France and the UK.

The packaging and paper group's capital expenditure will include the completion of the manufacturing upgrade at the Kemsley paper mill and investment in UK and French box-making plants.

DS Smith's sales of corrugated packaging have grown significantly in Continental Europe and it has gained share in all its major markets, according to its annual report, published this month.

Sales growth has been particularly strong in Italy, Poland and Turkey.

The company continues to increase prices in paper and corrugated packaging to recover higher input costs.

Click here for the annual report from DS Smith.
Source: packagingnews

Lush Goes Naked to Protest Packaging

"Cheeky!" "No ifs just butts" "Baring a Message" This week, Lush staff went naked to get the message out: packaging is waste. As employee Wendy Reiding of Wimbledon points out, "the main bits were covered." Staff wore a white apron with the words "Ask me why I'm naked" as they plied the streets drawing stares and in some cases being shooed back inside by the local constabulary.

Lush Fresh Handmade Cosmetics has made waves in innovative marketing before, but this week they set a new standard in drawing headlines without spending a single cent on advertising. OK, points given for a good message, cleverly delivered.

But the campaign does leave questions open: for example, why hand out leaflets in a campaign against waste? And is naked the new marketing trend?

Lush has drawn critique from TreeHugger readers for their choices of "safe synthetic" chemicals in their formulations. Also, Lush offers packaging-free solid soaps as a consumer alternative; they offer traditional liquid products in bottles in their product palette as well. (Hence the need for a campaign against packaging: don't buy our packaged products?)

Nonetheless, Lush has differentiated themselves from the market trend towards liquid soaps, formulating many products into bars, cakes or balls which can be sold without packaging. Some products are cut from a large cake and sold by weight. They even sell massage oils as bars which need to be warmed by rubbing in the hands to release the lubricating essences they contain. So, leaving debate aside, we hope the naked Lush campaign will spread the word: beauty products without packaging are beautiful.
Source: treehugger

LOAD AND UNLOAD MOULD MACHINE

APPLICATION:
Load and unload version kinds length of mould.
Cooperate with cutting tube machine and Slitting machine.

QG CUTTING TUBE MACHINE

APPLICATION:
Cutting and slitting version Paper pipe.

XF MINI REWINDER MACHINE

APPLICATION:
OPP,kraft,double-coated tapes,etc.

LMF DELIVERY LAMINATING MACHINE

APPLICATION:
LMF machine suitable for plasitc film,flass paper,aluminium foil,PET etc laminating.
FEATURES：
Put materical,laminating,side absorption and winding,adopted EPC edge position control and multi-stage inverter.

FJZ REWINDING MACHINE

APPLICATION:
For BOPP tape,Double-side tape,Kraft Paper tape and various paper,film rewinding,etc.

W/CP GRAVURE PRINTING MACHINE

APPLICATION:
Suitable for printing Polethylene film,Polypropylene film,Paper and Aluminium foil,etc.

FEATURES:
1.Induvidually design the printing, unwinding and winding.Mono-color and Multi-color printing.
2.Constant tension control and synchronous pulling winding.
3.Air rubber pressing printing roller.Pressure is adjustable.
4.Elasticity ink blade and circular ink.
5.Front and back face printing at one time.Auto length counter and Auto-braking equipment.
6.Inverter(Made in Japan)
7.Computer registration control system.

GFK DRY PROCESS LAMINATING MACHINE

APPLICATION:
Laminate two kinds of character materical to get a new character laminate materical.It is widely used in various soft package such as food,medicine,etc.

FEATURES:
1.Unwinding and winding adopts dual work position,auto pulling and adhesive joining.
2.Multi-stage temperture control suitable for drying various glue webs.
3.Unwinding and winding adopts Magnetic Power brade and constant tension controller.
4.Air press lamination.Laminating roll's temperature and pressure is adjustable.
5.Shell type oven adopts flammability gas strength tester and alarm indication.
6.Inverter(Made in Japan)and air-oil edge position control system.

Plastics bosses rally against London's 10p bag charge proposal

Plastics industry chiefs want to meet London local authorities to highlight the folly of their proposal to charge a 10p levy on plastic bags.

British Plastics Federation director general Peter Davis, with support from the Packaging and Films Association, has written to representative body London Councils to point out that the government has "no intention" of introducing a levy on plastic bags in England.

He also highlighted that the Scottish Executive last year rejected a charge for plastic bags on environmental grounds.

As a past deputy leader of Lambeth Council and special advisor to Kenneth Baker when he was secretary of state for the environment, Davis said he "understands the pressures London Councils are under to landfill less".

However, he said he was "most surprised" to hear of London Councils' proposal, which is included in the 10th London Local Authorities Bill.

This will be considered over the summer before going to the House of Commons in November.

Davis also highlighted that plastic bags only account for 1% of landfill, and that 80% are re-used.

Click here for more on the 10th London Local Authorities Bill.
Source: packagingnews

Ecolean targets China for sustainable packaging

Ecolean Group arrived at ProPak China 2007 touting the company’s green image and churning out midsized yogurt packages on the trade show floor. China quickly is becoming one of Ecolean´s most lucrative markets, since the country’s young dairy industry allows for adoption of new packaging technology.
Source: plasticnews

Fiber King to export machines from Australia

Australian packaging machine manufacturer Fiber King Pty. Ltd. will export a machine to build and collapse returnable plastic crates as soon as it adapts its machine to process those made by Chep Pty. Ltd.
Source: plasticnews

Packaging machinery revs Fine Foods' production

Much like drivers appreciate the performance, handling, and flexibility of the finest sports cars,
Italian contract manufacturer/packager Fine Foods N.T.M. (New Technology Manufacturing) S.p.A opts for similar characteristics in the packaging machinery it specifies. As manufacturers speed their products to market, it increases the deadline pressures on companies such as Fine Foods. In turn, Fine Foods relies on packaging machinery for the flexibility and output it needs to meet the demands of its manufacturer-customers.

“In recent years, customers have become more demanding, requiring quicker turnaround time than before,” says Marco Eigenmann, managing director of the Bergamo, Italy contract manufacturer/packager of pharmaceuticals, nutraceuticals, as well as a limited number of food products. Fine Foods does not manufacture any of its own products.

About half of the firm’s business is with customers in the United States, 40% with companies in Fine Foods’ home country of Italy, with the remaining 10% from other geographic regions.

The company estimates that 60% of the pharmaceuticals it contract manufactures and packages are ultimately sold by prescription and 40% is over-the-counter. Nearly all of these products are solids, typically powders. None of the products are refrigerated or frozen. Shelf life ranges from 24 to 36 months, according to Daniele Sala, plant director.

Focus on productivity
Fine Foods emphasizes efficient customer turnaround, and that focus is evident in the fact that two-thirds of its 180 employees are dedicated to production tasks, including packaging. The company operates both a pharmaceutical and a 21,000 sqm nutraceutical plant, both within about 10 miles of one another. This year, the company is expanding the pharmaceutical plant to that same size. In all, the company runs 24 packaging lines, with a considerable investment in equipment from Marchesini Group S.p.A..

“Our strength is in sachet [pouch] filling,” notes Eigenmann. “The sachet filling equipment we use is all from Marchesini. We have their machines in both of our plants. In the pharmaceutical business, we are for sure one of the biggest companies in high-production sachet filling. We normally operate in two shifts. We run five days a week and also on Sunday mornings if needed. We do not have any of our own products. We are an independent company and we do not want to be competitors to our customers.”

Sachet/pouch filling at Fine Foods
Product is gravity-fed from one floor above the filling equipment (a filling machine is shown in the accompanying photo). On this particular Marchesini line, powder drops into the infeed hopper of a Model MS 235 intermittent-motion vertical form/fill/seal machine. The equipment is designed to follow Good Manufacturing Practices (GMPs). Size changes are made through easily accessible areas. Brushless motors are used for the master and machine drive, film pulling, and film cutting functions. The lower portion of the machine body includes a three-phase Siemens motor and vacuum pump source and is designed to be easy to clean. Any machine parts that come in contact with product are made from stainless steel or other Food and Drug Administration-approved material, according to Marchesini.

Powder is fed down through a ceiling-level hopper into the sachets, or pouches, six at a time. Pouches are formed from film that comes in roll form, supplied by various companies. The machine automatically unwinds the film and vertical sealing plates use a combination of heat, pressure, and time to create side seals. As film continues to unwind towards the filling area, expiration date and lot number are printed onto six areas of the web, for each pouch. Sealing jaws seal the top of the previous six filled pouches simultaneously as they seal the bottoms of the next six pouches. Knives separate the packs.

The MS 235 uses a Marchesini Group-patented dosing unit that uses independent screw feeders to help with powders that do not easily flow.

A robotic pick-and-place unit picks up the six filled and sealed pouches, placing two pouches each into three lanes where the pouches are conveyed past bar-code readers that scan insert information and pouches, which are both automatically placed into an outer paperboard carton on a Marchesini Square C MA 50 intermittent-motion horizontal cartoning machine.

Once the readers detect product, an oscillating arm with suction cups takes a carton blank from the machine’s magazine, then opens or pre-breaks the carton and transfers it to a belt transport system. The sachets are conveyed along the cartoner infeed, with a pusher moving product and literature into the carton, whose ends are heat-sealed. Cartons then are conveyed to downstream case packing, palletizing, and distribution steps.

“Pharmaceuticals are the future,” Eigenmann and Sala agree. “It’s where most of our customers and sales come from.” With that in mind, both gentlemen are confident that Fine Foods’ continuing investment in its pharmaceutical facility and packaging machinery will pay dividends.

“In contract manufacturing, it’s often a three-year payback for machinery that’s in use eighty-percent of the time,” Eigenmann estimates. “We will add new machines this year and they will help us to meet the needs of current customers, and help us with future customers.”
Source: healthcare-packaging

Safeway to end sales of treated meat cuts: The use of carbon monoxide gas in packaging helps the product retain redness

Responding to concerns from members of Congress, Safeway Inc. is halting the sale of meat packaged in carbon monoxide gas, which makes the products appear fresher.

Reps. John D. Dingell and Bart Stupak, both Michigan Democrats, wrote last month to three large meatpacking companies and to Safeway, the country's biggest grocery chain, asking them to stop the practice. Safeway was the first to respond.

In a letter to Dingell and Stupak, the Pleasanton, Calif.-based company said it believed -- as does the Food and Drug Administration -- that packaging meat with carbon monoxide is safe. The technique involves adding minute quantities of the odorless and colorless gas, at levels harmless to human health, in place of oxygen when meat is packaged immediately after slaughter and before it is shipped to stores. The carbon monoxide prevents red meat from turning brown as quickly as it would normally.

Nevertheless, wrote Michael McGinnis, Safeway's senior vice president of meat and seafood, the company was halting the practice because the lawmakers' questions "may have raised concerns with customers who do not have the benefit of the background on this process and may be confused."

"Only a limited selection" of its fresh meat products are packaged with carbon monoxide, Safeway said, and sales of all but two lamb and veal cuts were halted Tuesday. Those two cuts will be withdrawn from sale as of July 27, the company said.

Safeway gave no estimate for how much the change might cost. The company operates more than 1,700 stores across the United States and in western Canada, including Vons and Pavilions stores in Southern California.

In an interview Wednesday, Stupak described such packaging as "a completely deceptive process to hoodwink the American people into buying meat that is unhealthy. We've looked at 19 to 21 studies where the American consumers will look for redness to determine the freshness of meat."

Members of the American Meat Industry Foundation, a nonprofit education and research group funded by a trade association representing the U.S. meat and poultry industries, said the redness was a superficial byproduct of the packaging process, and not the reason for use of the gas.

"Carbon monoxide doesn't make it look fresher than it is," said Randall D. Huffman, the foundation's vice president of scientific affairs. "The fact that it's red isn't unusual. High-oxygen packaged products, those products are also red, but they have a shorter shelf life because oxygen causes meat to deteriorate very fast."

Huffman said that more than 200 million products using carbon monoxide packaging had been sold since the FDA approved the process in 2004. Stupak said the meat industry makes about $1 billion a year by keeping those products on the shelf longer.

Stupak plans to introduce legislation next week to require special labels when the gas is used in packaging meat or fish. He and Dingell had introduced similar legislation last year that failed along party lines.

Huffman said such labeling was unnecessary because an FDA standard already requires that meat packaging include a "use-by" date. He also said that it would set a labeling precedent for other sectors of the food industry, such as potato chip manufacturers, which use nitrogen in packages to keep the products fresh.
Source: lexisnexis

Steam-cook packaging moves into do-it-yourself realm

Consumers that have enjoyed food products in steam-cook packaging now create own dishes with Glad SimplyCooking Microwave Steaming Bags from Glad Products Co., Oakland, CA. Designed to steam-cook vegetables in microwave, help Americans increase intake of vegetables to meet five-a-day guidelines set by US Department of Agriculture, Washington, DC, bags deliver crisp yet tender vegetables in minutes without dirtying pots/pans. Stand-up orientation simplifies filling, seasoning, serving. Zipper closure ensures good seal, while built-in venting mechanism regulates steam level to consistently heat fresh or frozen vegetables or seafood.
Source: packexpo

EXPO PACK México draws 32,320 visitors

Continuing tradition as largest packaging event serving Latin America, 22nd edition of EXPO PACK México concludes 29 June 2007 with 32,320 visitors from 34 countries to Centro Banamex, Mexico City, México, including 43% increase in international attendees. With 117 more exhibitors, 17% more exhibit space than 2006 show, this year’s edition featured 862 exhibitors from 24 countries including 105 members of Packaging Machinery Manufacturers Institute (PMMI), Arlington, VA, the show sponsor. Co-located PROCESA event featured 407 companies exhibiting latest developments in processing machinery and technology. EXPO PACK México 2008 occurs 24-27 June 2008 at Centro Banamex.
Source: packexpo

Off-line bag printing systems

Norwood Marking Systems/Allen Coding Systems will introduce integrated off-line bag-printing systems at Pack Expo Vegas, including the ZBM bag feeding system.

The ZBM compact bag feeding system from Boomers Technology with Norwood/Allen’s NGT large-format thermal transfer coding system is ideal for a wide range of applications such as bulk bags for food, fertilizers, feed and grain, textile and chemicals and more. The integrated bag printing systems handle plastic, paper and aluminum bags, printing barcodes, logos, date/time and batch information directly on the bags.
Source: packworld

Pregis Acquire Romanian Packaging Company

Pregis Corporation, a leading international manufacturer, marketer, and supplier of protective packaging products and specialty packaging solutions, announced today that it has acquired all of the outstanding share capital of Petroflax S.A., for approximately $12.0 million in cash, including estimated direct costs of the acquisition. The transaction was financed with cash-on-hand.

Based in Romania, Petroflax is a leading producer and distributor of foam-based products. The Company was established in 1994 and generated 2006 annual revenue of approximately $9.0 million, on an unaudited, non-GAAP reporting basis.

“We are pleased to welcome Petroflax to the Pregis organization,” commented Michael McDonnell, Pregis Corporation’s President and Chief Executive Officer. “The acquisition expands our strong Central European protective packaging operations and enhances our ability to serve our customers.”
Source: azom

California Cracks Down on Heavy Metal

Californian packaging suppliers, manufacturers and distributors face a crackdown after research revealed two-thirds of packaging in the state contains dangerous levels of heavy metals.

A new report by the National Toxics in Packaging Clearinghouse found the presence of four restricted heavy metals – lead, cadmium, mercury and hexavalent chromium – in various packaging materials.

The most heavy metals were found in flexible polyvinylchloride heavy-duty plastic packaging, with 61% of samples containing excessive levels of cadmium or lead.

Ink and colourants used on plastic shopping and mailing bags were the next most frequent materials found to be over the legal limits and high levels of restricted metals were most often found in packaging originating in Asia.

In response to the findings, the California Department of Toxic Substances Control will introduce an outreach programme, designed to educate manufacturers, suppliers and distributors, with the goal of eliminating heavy metals in consumer packaging.

California is one of 19 US states to set limits on the concentration of heavy metals in packaging materials, in an attempt to prevent toxic heavy metals entering the environment through landfills, waste incineration or recycling streams.
Source: packaging-technology

Speculation Over Potential Buyers for Alcan’s Packaging Unit Continues

Macquarie Equities says packaging giant Amcor is an unlikely purchaser of Alcan's packaging division, following the announcement that it would be sold as part of Rio Tinto's acquisition of the company last week.

Melbourne-based Rio Tinto has placed a $38.1bn bid for Canadian aluminium company Alcan, in a deal that could create the world's largest aluminium company.

The proposed takeover has led packaging industry analysts to speculate on how the division would be splintered in order to attract more buyers, as Rio Tinto focuses on the more lucrative aluminium activities within the business.

Last week Alcan confirmed the business would not be splintered and would be sold as a whole.

However, in a research note brokerage firm Maquarie says although Alcan is Amcor's major competitor in flexible and tobacco packaging in Europe, combining the two companies is likely to attract the attention of competition regulators. Amcor has a 15% market share in Europe, and Alcan has a 20% share.

Maquarie also notes that for the past two years Amcor has been in a 'divestment phase', adopting a back-to-basics approach – improving returns on existing assets.

It says Bemis, the largest flexibles company in the US, is a more likely contender as it only has a small presence in Europe.
Source: packaging-technology

Chesapeake's Europe boss Rylance out of a job under rejig

The head of Chesapeake's European business has been made redundant under a restructuring announced by the packaging group today (18 July).

Neil Rylance has left the company along with its European finance director, Richard Scully, as part of the cost-cutting measures.

Chesapeake has restructured into three divisions: pharmaceutical and healthcare packaging, headed by Michael Cheetham; branded products packaging, led by Timothy Whitfield; and plastic packaging, under the control of Vincent Hockett.

All three will report directly to chief executive Andrew Kohut.

Bob Houghton, marketing manager at Field Group, Chesapeake's UK arm, said the restructuring would make the company more agile and responsive.

More redundancies are expected among staff based at Chesapeake's head offices in Amersham, Richmond in the US, and Hong Kong.

"Chesapeake has a relatively small number of head office-based functions, so this action is only expected to affect a small number of roles," said Houghton.

Chesapeake has 47 locations in Europe, North America, Africa and Asia, including 18 in the UK. It employs around 5,500 people worldwide.
Source: packagingnews