Packaging plays it cool as snow brings chaos to roads

Companies across the packaging industry have played down the impact of today's severe weather conditions, despite parts of England being hit by the heaviest snowfall in almost two decades.

Motorways and rail links were closed this morning or at an effective standstill after as much as 15cm of snow fell overnight in parts of the country.

The south-east, Wales and the north-east have been particularly affected, while further extreme weather warning have been issued by the Met Office, with more snow expected later today and tomorrow (3 February).

Some packaging companies are understood to have rescheduled deliveries as they face up to treachorous conditions on the roads and staff being unable to get in to work. However, others contacted by Packaging News played down the impact of the snowfalls.

Peter Atkinson, chief executive of packaging distributor and manufacturer MacFarlane Group, said that some areas, such as the west country, were operating normally but that in areas of heavy snowfall the company was contacting customers to re-schedule deliveries.

"There are obviously safety concerns and we are being pragmatic. We are prioritising deliveries depending on the distance from our distribution centres and their stock levels.

"Most customers are being very sensible about the situation - many are barely at work themselves today."

Other companies, however, claimed that the snow had not put a damper on operations today.

DS Smith Packaging sales director Mike Alvis said that it was business as usual for the group, which has 33 sites across the country, and described the snow as "a very regional problem".

Companies contacted in the North had yet to be hit by the severe conditions affecting London and the south east.

A spokeswoman for aluminium recycler Novelis said that deliveries were continuing as normal, while a spokeswoman for Linpac Packaging, based in Yorkshire, said that all staff had arrived at work as usual.

Today's snowfall is the worst in 18 years in the south east and has caused severe disruption on roads and public transport, with a series of accidents and bringing many roads to a standstill.
Source: packagingnews

SAICA invests £40m but reveals possible redundancies

SAICA Packaging UK has announced a mixed bag of restructuring measures, which include a £40m investment in facilities but also the possible closure of two sites with the loss of up to 264 jobs.

SAICA said it was consulting on making up to 264 posts redundant and was looking at closing plants in Aylesford in Kent by the autumn and at Winsford, Cheshire, by the spring of 2010.

At the same time, the Spanish firm is planning to invest £40m in its facilities, predominantly in Wigan, Thrapston in Northamptonshire and Thatcham in Berkshire, and would create more than 100 new jobs.

SAICA executive vice-president Ramón Alejandro said the investment showed the firm's "commitment to creating a world class manufacturing capability in the UK".

"We believe the long-term prognosis is good and we want to be in a position to provide the best possible service to UK-based customers," he said.

Alejandro said the investment would include the purchase of two 2.8 corrugators.

SAICA, Sociedad Anónima Industrias Celulosa Aragonesa, bought SCA's UK corrugated business for £100m. It currently employs some 2,000 people in 19 sites across the country and has a turnover of €430m (£386.5m).

After the acquisition, it announced it would build a £250m recycled paper mill near Manchester.
Source: packagingnews

UK hit hard by high energy prices

Packaging Federation chief executive Dick Searle has said the government needs to wake up to the fact that energy prices are higher in the UK than in mainland Europe.

Searle made the statement in response to comments made by BERR energy minister Malcolm Wicks that average industrial gas and electricity prices in the UK are "broadly in line with average prices in the EU15".

British Glass director general David Workman said that in terms of the domestic market, Wicks was "probably quite correct" to compare competitiveness between the UK and mainland Europe.

However, he pointed out that energy intensive manufacturing firms were exposed to the full impact of movements in the wholesale market where "day ahead" prices are currently at twice the level of last year. The problem is heightened even further for firms trying to buy ahead for next year as prices in early 2009 are doubling again.

As of July 2008, UK gas prices are around 16% higher than in continental Europe and UK electricity prices are around 38% higher than in Germany on a year-ahead basis.

In response to the problem, Workman is calling for the UK's liberalised energy market to be expanded to mainland Europe.

Workman would also like the government to ensure that liquid gas (LNG) terminals are full over the winter period.

He argued that one of the reasons gas prices are so high is that speculators in the city do not believe there will be enough gas in the winter.

A more environmentally contentious option would be a "strategic decision" to switch from gas to coal to generate electricity in the UK.
Source: packagingnews

Impress sets sights on Peru with Inesa joint venture

Impress, the metal packaging manufacturer, is targeting the Peruvian market for steel and aluminium cans through a joint venture with Chilean can maker Inesa.

Impress and Inesa will have equal shares in the new company, 2I, which will focus on Peru's growing food markets, particularly locally-sourced seafood.

The joint venture is expected to obtain a 30-40% market share within the next three years.

Inesa has recently completed the construction of a new production plant in the country, while Impress will continue to import from Europe and North America.

Francis Labbé, Impress chief executive, said the joint venture would "provide an exceptionally strong supply base for major customers in Peru".

Inesa chief executive Guillermo Canales said it would "create an important player" in the Peruvian packaging market.

Family-owned Inesa has production facilities across Latin America making tin plate cans and ends as well as plastic and aluminium closures.

Impress produces metal packaging for a range of industries from 60 plants in 21 countries.

Source: packagingnews

Principles creates new look for Sun Valley pretzels

Principles Agency in Leeds has created a new identity and packaging for Sun Valley's Skinny Baked Pretzels, part of the Pretz brand.

Sunderland printer EBR printed the packs flexo in eight colours on metallised polyester supplied by Innovia.

The design agency was briefed to target the Pretz products, including a new jalapeno flavour, at the adult market, particularly younger women aged 20-30.

The Pretz brand’s main target previously was children’s snacks.

Sun Valley marketing manager Jonathan Barr said: Research through Principles Agency conclusively showed that a low-fat snack, with real taste would appeal to the health-conscious, young woman.

The research invited women to ‘make a date with their taste buds’ using sensual imagery and dating style language.

Each flavour is linked in with a different type of man, to add the fun element.

The Jalapeno Chilli flavour is moody and unpredictable, while Worcester Sauce is strong and dependable, and Sour Cream & Onion is cool and sophisticated.

Strong nutritional messages, including ‘ditch the fat’, ‘be demanding’ and ‘no dark secrets’ strengthened the health proposition.

The packs will be stocked at independent retailers, foodservice, forecourts and vending machines, priced 45p, from this month.
Source: packagingnews

Packaging Market Weekly Wrap – Graham Packaging in $3.2bn Deal

Hicks Acquisition Company has agreed a partnership with Blackstone Group for Graham Packaging Holdings in a deal believed to be about $3.2bn.

As a special purpose acquisition company (SPAC), the Dallas-based Hicks Acquisition is a shell organisation that will raise money in an initial public offering for the acquisition, and then publicly trade the business through the SPAC's shell company after shareholders approve the deal.

The combined enterprise will be called Graham Packaging Company and will be listed on the New York Stock Exchange. Private equity firm Blackstone is to maintain the largest ownership stake for at least the first two years of the deal.

As a manufacturer of plastic containers for the branded food and beverage, household and personal care industries, Graham Packaging achieved net sales of roughly $2.5bn in 2007.

WRAP INTRODUCES FOOD PACKAGING WASTE INITIATIVE

The UK's Waste and Resources Action Programme (WRAP) has invited food manufacturers to take part in a project aimed at reducing waste through food packaging technology.

The manufacturing sector will receive funds for up to 50% of project costs focused on reusable and refillable packaging, new merchandising and dispensing systems or product reformulation.

The government-backed programme has said that a tender process is currently underway for the project. WRAP estimates that each year 5.2 million tonnes of food related packaging waste and 6.7 million tonnes of food waste are disposed of within UK homes.

NEW PACKAGING ENGINEERING COURSE LAUNCHES

Packforum will provide a course aimed at providing food professionals with information on food processing and packaging engineering for the development of convenience foods.

Run by Cryovac Food Engineering, the first of the courses will be based on microwave heating, providing lessons on product formulation, product layout and packaging design necessary for the development of food products designed for microwave cooking or re-heating.

BELFAST PACKAGING FIRM REVEALS NEW BOARD MEMBERS

The Belfast-based pharmaceutical packaging firm Sepha has announced two new board members.

Sepha produces equipment used for blister packing, de-blistering and the detection of leaks in blister packs of prescription and over-the-counter tablets and capsules. As part of the company's strategic bid to increase sales worldwide, Dr Alan McClure will become chairman of the business with Dr Hugh Cormican becoming director.
Source: packaging-technology

Finat sees stable demand for European labels in 2008

European demand for self-adhesive labels in 2008 will be "stable, at best", according to industry association Finat.

In 2007, label sales rose by 4.3% to just over 5.5bn square metres, although the first quarter of 2008 was the first time in three years when growth did not exceed the previous period.

70% of demand was for paper rolls, but the trend towards non-paper labels continues, particularly in Eastern Europe.

Managing director Jules Lejeune said that Eastern Europe would continue to drive the sector, "not only due to manufacturing moving into the region, but also rising disposable incomes and increasing domestic demand".

David Harrisson, Finat past president, told Packaging News the sector was "looking for new opportunities and market trends".

"Self-adhesive labels are ideally suited to short runs and specialisation of packs," he said.

Harrisson said the organisation was also looking to promote the sustainability of self-adhesive labels. "The labels themselves can be recycled with the pack, and we can also deal with the liners and matrix waste."

However, he added that label firms also had to deal with rising substrate costs, particularly plastics.
Source: packagingnews

'Kangaroo tub' nests small bottle

Avlon Industries, Inc., Melrose Park, IL, a leading manufacturer of salon and consumer hair products for the ethnic market, has introduced new packaging for one its best-selling products-Affirm Crème Relaxer.

Because this product is intended strictly for salon use rather than consumer retail sale, packaging design had not previously been a priority. However, it became clear that the product's package was inhibiting proper use.

Avlon spokesperson Zohaira Rizvi notes, "Traditionally, we had just taped the 4-oz plastic bottles of Protecto pre-relaxer conditioner to the 4-lb buckets of Affirm. But after the tape was removed, the pre-relaxer bottle often was misplaced and never used. We knew there had to be a better way."

Working closely with packaging engineers and designers from TricorBraun (www.tricorbraun.com), Avlon created the "kangaroo tub"—a custom high-density polyethylene 4-lb bucket incorporating a molded indentation where the Protecto 4-oz bottle snaps in place.

Package delivers

"This package delivers in several important ways," says Rizvi. "It makes assembly quicker and more efficient; it makes the product easier to use at the salon; and it enhances our company's image as an innovative industry leader."

TricorBraun also assisted in custom-designing and supplying low-density polyethylene snap-on lid to replace the previous bucket lid that had a tendency to occasionally pop off unexpectedly. In addition, the revamped packaging that neatly tucks the bottle into the side of the bucket makes shipping and storage more space-efficient. Avlon can fit more products into a case and onto a pallet.
Source: packworld

EC issues guidelines for the use of recycled plastics in food packs

The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has issued industry guidelines governing the use of recycled plastics in food packaging to help protect consumers from ingesting contaminants that could migrate from packaging into food.

New European Commission (EC) regulations on plastics stipulate that recycled plastics which come into contact with foods should only be obtained from processes that have been given the green light by the EFSA.

Dick Searle, chief executive of The Packaging Federation, welcomed the move. "It is interesting in the sense that at the end of the day there has to be a set of guidelines," he said.

"All organisations, particularly WRAP, have found that one of the impediments has always been the quality of recycled plastic packaging for food contact."

The European food standards watchdog now becomes responsible for evaluating the safety of mechanical recycling and manufacturing methods in which recovered plastics are ground into small pieces, decontaminated and then processed into new packaging.

The EFSA's guidelines do not cover the chemical de-polymerisation process, which is covered by another EU directive.

The issue of the guidelines follow a public consultation held earlier this year by the EFSA's Scientific Panel of Food Additives, Flavourings, Processing Aids and Materials in Contact with Food. The two-month consultation invited members of the scientific community and stakeholder to comment and drew 40 questions and comments.

Sarah Plant, industrial issues executive of the British Plastics Federation, said: "We are pleased that steps have been taken towards increasing the use of plastics recyclate in food contact applications and that the full potential of this can be realised.

"We will be examing the guidelines in full to ensure that adequate controls are in place to guarantee the exclusion of contaminanted materials while minimising the administrative burden on recyclers and processors."

Any company wishing to use recycled plastics in food packaging will need to gain approval from the EFSA, which will base its safety assessment on factors such as the quality of the recycled raw material, the efficiency of the decontamination process and the the plastic's intended use.

Once the EFSA has evaluated a particular case, its verdict will be forwarded to the EC. If the EC authorises the case, it will then be added to the register of approved recycling processes. An authorised recycling method will then fall under the remit of EU member states' own quality assurance systems.
Source: packagingnews

Promens staff to strike over pay

Workers at Promens' plastic packaging factory in Beccles, Suffolk, are to hold industrial action next week over pay.

According to reports, workers will walk out on Tuesday (8 July) after being offered a 2.2% pay rise.

Unite regional industrial organiser Ivan Crane said staff at Promens had reluctantly accepted below inflation pay offers over the past few years, but now they have said "enough is enough".

The current rate of inflation, according to the government's Retail Prices Index is 4.3%.

Next week's 24-hour walkout could be followed by further action if the company does not change its offer, the union said.

Promens said it would be making a statement on Monday (7 July), but refused to give Packaging News more details.

The company, formerly known as Fibrenyle, is one of three UK packaging factories owned by Icelandic firm Promens. It employs 255 people at the Ellough Industrial Estate in Beccles.
Source: packagingnews

Corporate Express to reduce carbon emissions with smaller boxes

Corporate Express, the supplier of office products and furniture, has launched two new box sizes, a move that it claims will enhance its environmental credentials.

The company has developed two corrugated board boxes that are the same height as its existing small and medium-sized boxes, but take up only half the base size.

The new sizes were introduced after Corporate Express hired environmental consultancy firm Enviros to assess the carbon footprint made by its packaging and delivery boxes.

The environmental review included the option of using reusable tote boxes, liners and additional smaller cardboard boxes, but Corporate Express decided that the best option would be to introduce two smaller cardboard boxes.

According to Enviros, the smaller sized boxes will reduce Corporate Express's annual volume of cardboard shipped to its customers by 148 tonnes and cut its carbon emissions by 208 tonnes a year.

The boxes, supplied by Lancashire-based TRM Packaging, are made from 100% recycled materials and are fully recyclable themselves.

Corporate Express said that no plastic film will be used to seal the contents inside and it has also changed the board used in its other boxes to include 100% recycled material.

Peter Aggett, technical director at Enviros, said: "The benefits of using an additional two smaller boxes include savings in volume of goods shipped, a reduction in carbon emissions and a reduction in corrugated board disposed by customers and the ability of Corporate Express to use the smaller boxes through all distribution channels."

Corporate Express's existing portfolio comprises small, medium and large boxes and a biodegradable jiffy bags used for smaller orders.

Source: packagingnews

Packaging Market Weekly Wrap - Anheuser Not Selling Packaging Division

Anheuser-Busch says it has no plans to sell its packaging business or its theme parks.

Chief Executive August Busch IV said a sale is not of benefit to shareholders.

The comments came in a conference call in which Anheuser-Busch executives detailed their cost-savings plan and explained the decision to reject InBev NV's $46.3bn bid, Reuters reports.

ALCAN TO BUILD CZECH PACKAGING PLANT

Rio Tinto's Alcan Packaging division is to build a €17m packaging facility in the Novy Bydzov area of the Czech Republic.

The new facility will produce and print packaging for the emerging Central European food market, Alcan Packaging said.

The plant should be operational by the fourth quarter of 2009.

"This investment will strengthen our position on the fast growing Central Europe market," Alcan Packaging President and Chief Executive Officer Ilene Gordon said.

"It is a new and important step in Alcan Packaging's growth strategy implementation," she added.

HICKS TO BUY GRAHAM PACKAGING

Hicks Acquisition Co says it will take Graham Packaging Holdings Co public in a deal worth $3.2bn.

A partnership with the Blackstone Group and the Graham Group has been formed to make the move.

Under the terms of the deal, current stockholders of Graham Packaging will receive $350m of cash held in trust, 35 million common shares, and 2.8 million warrants upon completion of the transaction.

WINPAK BUYS WALSRODER

Winpak has bought the film packaging business of Walsroder Packaging, a subsidiary of Dow Chemical Co.

Walsroder Packaging is a converter and distributor of flexible plastic rollstock packaging to the US food industry.

Winpak manufactures and distributes packaging materials and related packaging machines mostly used for perishable foods and in health care applications.

Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.

LINPAC OPENS CHINESE PLANT

Linpac Packaging has opened its first plant in China, at Changzhou, in Jiangsu province.

The 20,000m² factory has two extrusion lines for production of PVC stretch film for wrapping of fresh foodstuffs and employs 60 staff.
Source: packaging-technology

Three-in-one closure launched by Empire Manufacturing

Empire Manufacturing, the supplier of perfume and cosmetic bottle tops, has launched a closure that does the job of a crimping ring, sealing gasket and sprinkler top in one unit.

The three-in-one closure for perfumes, lotions and oils is made from recyclable aluminium with a polished or machine finish. The internal section is made from a Tri-Seal plastic.

The firm said the closure gives an "excellent fit" to the bottle and is supplied in a number of designs to be secured onto a variety of bottle sizes.

A spokeswoman for Empire Manufacturing said: "Companies can use the three-in-one bottle, replacing three separate components, keeping costs to a minimum and saving time in the assembly process."

The company has taken orders for the closure for perfume, aromatherapy oils and aftershave bottles.

Empire Manufacturing was set up in 2007 and employs six people in Hoddeston, Hertfordshire.
Source: packagingnews

Packaging Market Weekly Wrap - P&G to Share Packaging Know How

Procter & Gamble is allowing another company access to its packaging technologies for the first time.

Food manufacturer ConAgra will get access to its industry-leading packaging and design skills in one of the most ambitious cooperation deals struck by the world’s biggest seller of consumer goods, the Financial Times reports.

P&G Vice-President of External Business Jeff Weedman said that under the deal "P&G's packaging capabilities are going to be applied to ConAgra's needs".

The deal has the potential to be one of the biggest to be developed under P&G's "connect and develop" open-innovation strategy.

The deal also covers P&G's nutrition-enhancing food ingredients.

Financial terms of the deal were not unveiled.

BAN CALLED ON REPACKAGED MEDICINE

Drug makers called on Thursday for a ban on the repackaging of medicines within the European Union in order to stamp out the growing threat of counterfeits.

"It is absolutely imperative, if we are going to try and protect consumers from counterfeits, that we do not allow a system that can take our medicines out of its packaging," industry association head and Bayer Healthcare CEO Arthur Higgins said.

Pharmaceutical manufacturers blame the legal practice of parallel trade - in which drugs bought in low-priced markets are repackaged and resold in high-price countries - for fuelling counterfeit traffic. Parallel traders deny the charge.

Preventing repackaging would deal a blow to the parallel trade and could also help drug makers' profits, since companies' revenues are currently eroded by arbitrage dealings in their products across borders.

Under current EU rules, medicines can be repackaged, relabelled and the tablets even removed from blister packs, all of which drug makers argue jeopardises security and provides an opportunity for criminals.

Counterfeit medicines, which may contain the wrong or even toxic ingredients, are on the rise worldwide. The World Health Organisation estimates they may make up 10% of the global pharmaceutical market.

The problem is most acute in developing countries but it is also increasing in Europe, with fake versions of life-saving drugs like AstraZeneca Plc's cancer medicine Casodex and Sanofi-Aventis SA's blood-thinner Plavix turning up in the supply chain in the past year.

Sanofi Chairman Jean-Francois Dehecq said counterfeiting was now being carried out on an industrialised scale, often by the same criminal gangs which dealt in narcotics.

"It is time for Europe to act as the driving force in the fight against this deadly crime," he said.

Dehecq and Higgins said they hoped for tougher EU legislation by the end of the year as part of a new pharmaceutical package being developed in Brussels.

In the meantime, the European Federation of Pharmaceutical Industries and Associations will launch a pilot scheme using complex bar codes and tamper-resistant packaging in Germany next year, designed to show that secure packaging for drugs is feasible.

In the long term, it wants to see a standardised and unique coding system for medicines across Europe.

Reuters

SCA AB TO DOWNSIZE

Swedish paper company SCA AB has announced plans to sell parts of its UK packaging operations to Spain's SAICA and will close down its New Hythe containerboard mill in Kent by 2010.

SAICA is paying £100m for SCA's conventional corrugated business.

After the sale, SCA will focus on specialised packaging in its operations in the UK and Ireland.

EAFA PRESIDENT RE-ELECTED

Hydro Aluminium's head of business unit foil Fred McDonogh has been re-elected President of the European Aluminium Foil Association (EAFA) for a second term.

Group Chairmen Michael Cronin of Flexible Packaging Europe and Hans Hogeveen of Rewinder Group were re-elected as EAFA Vice-Presidents.

Completing the board Felix Steinbrecher was newly elected as EAFA Vice-President representing the Container Group.
Source: packaging-technology

Snacks debut in resealable pouches

New York Style, a snack brand of Nonni's Food Co., Inc., headquartered in Tulsa, OK, has introduced Focaccia Sticks in packaging designed by brand strategy specialist Murray Brand Communications, Inc. (www.murraybrand.com).

Supplied by C-P Flexible Packaging (www.cpconverters.com), the preformed, stand-up, resealable pouches are flexo-printed in 8 colors and incorporate color-coding to distinguish flavor varieties. The undisclosed packaging structure has excellent oxygen and moisture barrier properties, which preserve product freshness and extend shelf life up to one year.

New York Style marketing manager Bill Corcoran comments, "Consumers have responded very well to our new Focaccia Sticks. The graphics designed by Murray Brand Communications do a great job of standing out on the crowded snack food retail shelf and telling a story about the uniqueness of the product and its usage occasions. The resealable stand-up pouch allows us greater merchandising flexibility, and the packaging structure helps keep the product fresh longer."

New York Style Focaccia Sticks were introduced in retail outlets across the U.S. beginning in February 2008. Average retail price is $3.29 per 5-oz bag.

Source: packworld

Loadhog installs pallet pad wash

Loadhog, the Sheffield-based returnable packaging firm, has installed a layer pad wash plant in the city to speed up service for key customers, such as Quinn Glass.

Plastic layer pads are used in the transport of transit pallet-stacked products, especially in the glass bottle industry, which dictates that pads are cleaned after every trip.

Loadhog currently washes 2.5 million pads for Quinn Glass annually.

The £500,000 Italian-manufactured machine is one of four in the country. It is located in 10,000 sq ft facility on Blast Lane in Sheffield and is open to other transit packaging companies to use.

Loadhog requires that its plants wash pads to British Retail Consortium's Global Standard for Food Packaging and in accordance with the Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP) Protocol.

Pads are not released to customers until microbiological testing has been carried out.

Wash plant manager Dave Clark said the plant, which can handle seven million pads a year, "opens up a new income stream from other companies requiring a fast turn round pad cleaning service".
Source: packagingnews

Ball Packaging to employ 100 at second Polish facility

Ball Packaging Europe could employ more than 100 skilled workers at its new 125,000 square metre can-making plant at Lublin, Poland, when it starts production in the first half of next year.

The US-based metal and plastic packaging supplier said it needed the plant to meet "rapid" growth in demand for beverage cans in Central and Eastern Europe.

The "highly-automated" plant, to be built in eastern Poland on the borders of Belarus and Ukraine, will initially have one production line with an annual capacity of approximately 750 million cans a year, but there will be space at the site to accommodate additional lines in the future.

This is Ball's second investment in Poland, it opened a factory at Radomsko in 1995. The site has a workforce of 160 people, it produces 1.5 billion aluminium beverage cans in 330ml and 500ml sizes annually on two lines.

Ball Packaging Europe president Michael Herdman said: "Currently we sell significantly more cans in the Polish market than we produce locally."

"Our existing plant in Radomsko serves us well for central and southern Poland. The Lublin plant will provide us with geographic coverage across Poland and position us to serve even better our customers there, as well as those in countries further to the East."

Source: packagingnews

PI becomes Packaging Federation's first design member

The Packaging Federation has secured its first member from the design sector after signing up PI Group, the London-based packaging design, prototyping and sustainability specialist.

PI Group partner Steve Kelsey said the Federation would be a "very valuable forum" for the company and provided an "excellent perspective on what the packaging business is thinking".

He also said PI could bring some extra qualities to the Federation.

"The sort of things talked about at Federation meetings are very much looking to the future, and if designers can't spot trends they shouldn't really be in their jobs," he added.

PI decided to join as an individual member after a "very, very lukewarm reception" from other design firms to the idea of creating a design group to sit within the Federation.

"It was only after I had been to several Federation meetings that we decided to join," he added. "I was very impressed by the quality of people who attended."

PI has also joined the Cross Industry Waste Strategy Group, which counts major retailers such as Asda and Tesco as members and aims to standardise waste collected by local authorities across the country and ensure that recycled packaging is of a high quality.

Packaging Federation chief executive Dick Searle said signing up PI as a member was a "significant" boost for the organisation and could help to attract other design companies.

Major packaging groups account for the bulk of the Federation's membership, while sector trade associations are affiliates.
Source: packagingnews

Packaging Market Weekly Wrap – Bright Future for Pharmaceutical Packaging Market

According to the business research company Freedonia Group, demand for pharmaceutical packaging in the US (including Puerto Rico) will increase 5.5 percent annually to US$16bn in 2012.

The rise is due to the increased focus on regulations and standards that address issues such as barrier protection, infection control, patient drug compliance, drug dispensing errors and drug counterfeiting.

The US-based industry research firm also identifies a 5.2 percent annual increase in demand for primary pharmaceutical containers and anticipates fast growth for prefillable syringes and vials.

Furthermore, it expects plastic bottles to remain the most widely used package for oral drugs distributed in bulk and that the market for pharmaceutical pouches will expand at a fast pace.

CHAMPAGNE INDAGE BUYS CORBY BOTTLERS

Corby Bottlers has been purchased by the Indian firm Champagne Indage for an undisclosed sum.

The Northamptonshire wine bottler and supplier of bag-in-box wines and sister company Darlington Wines have continued trading despite going into administration in March.

The two businesses generate a combined turnover of £25m.

POLYONE SIGNS ON FOR EASTMAN TRITAN COPOLYESTER

PolyOne has signed an agreement with Eastman Chemical Company to become the exclusive compounder of filled systems for Eastman's Tritan copolyester in the US.

The global provider of specialised polymer materials, services and solutions will work with customers and Eastman to develop new applications and markets for compounded materials.

The new copolyester is marketed as durable, resistant to chemical and heat, and easy to process.

It can also apparently be molded with lower levels of residual stress compared to polycarbonate.

AMCOR TO SELL PACKAGING PLANT TO IPG

Amcor is to sell its flexible packaging plant in Western Australia to Integrated Packaging Group (IPG) for about US$35m.

The plant, which is located in Perth, currently produces industrial stretch wrap film for domestic and New Zealand markets.

The proposed sale would mark Amcor's exit from the production of industrial stretch wrap film.

The planned acquisition is part of IPG's growth strategy of buying established businesses and expanding its existing plants in Melbourne and Auckland, New Zealand.

IPG and Amcor are expected to complete the transaction by the end of July.

ASTRAPACK APPOINTS NEW CEO

Plastic packaging company Astrapak has appointed Marco Baglione as its new chief executive office.

Bagilone was previously divisional chief executive of the rigids division and has been at the company for 11 years.

He replaces Ray Crewe-Brown, who will retire at the end of June but remain as a consultant to Astrapak for the next 12 months.
Source: packaging-technology

I2r invests in packaging kit after securing grant

I2r Packaging Solutions, the food packaging firm, has invested in new tooling for its Telford-based plant after securing £800,000 of funding through Business Link.

The company, which produces smooth-wall aluminium foil containers for customers including Sainsbury's, Asda, Tesco and Marks & Spencer, declined to give further details of the tooling.

Chief executive Peter Reay said: "The funding from Business Link has enabled us to install new state of the art production lines at our premises and in response to this, 11 new jobs have been created."

I2r, which stands for innovation to ready, was launched in July 2007 by three former Nicholl Food Packaging directors - Reay, Jon West and Richard Chaplin.

The Business Link Access to Finance programme, which is available to all small and medium sized businesses employing less than 250 people, offers support from impartial advice to holding seminars and workshops.
Source: packagingnews