PRINTER NEWS
Near Record Crowd for CPP EXPO
PARAMUS, N.J.—Converting professionals from around the world came to Las Vegas to attend CPP EXPO. More than 3,570 attendees walked up and down the aisles to see the latest in converting machinery and materials on display. According to show organizers, the near record attendance is another indication that the industry is hedging its bets on a strong and imminent economic recovery.
"We've all felt the bumps and bruises of the economy this year, but the attendees not only arrived in high numbers, they came ready to buy," says Leo Nadolske, president of CPP EXPO.
CPP EXPO Las Vegas, which took place October 5-7, 2009, was co-located with PACK EXPO Las Vegas and PROCESS EXPO in the Las Vegas Convention Center. The combined attendance for the three shows was 33,967, of which 22,721 were strictly attendees.
"Given the economy this year, we are extremely pleased with the turnout," says Charles D. Yuska, president and CEO of PMMI, which organizes PACK EXPO. "Trade shows mirror the industries they serve, and the strong attendance may indicate an economic recovery as consumer goods companies leverage the show for their capital equipment investments and packaging innovation efforts."
CPP EXPO Las Vegas also produced the converting and package printing conference tracks at The Conference at PACK EXPO. About 200 attendees attended the four related sessions.
Smyth Companies is PIA's Best of the Best
ST. PAUL, Minn.—Smyth Companies, Inc. has been designated as "Best of the Best" for 2009 by the "Best Workplace in the Americas" program. The program is administered by Printing Industries of America (PIA) and awards are bestowed on those companies that demonstrate exceptional practices in the area of human resources and employee relations.
The choosing of Smyth for a "Best of the Best" award is "testimony to the exemplary practices of Smyth Companies," stated Michael Makin, president and CEO of PIA.
"Being recognized with this award publicly confirms what our company privately practices everyday", said John Hickey, CEO of Smyth Companies. "I am very proud of Smyth's employee-focused culture, as it reflects what is truly meaningful to ownership and management at Smyth. All our stakeholders are rewarded for this focus."
Rebranding Menasha Packaging
NEENAH, Wis.—Menasha Packaging, one of the largest independent packaging companies in the U.S., launched a rebranding effort.
"We are changing how the world sees us and how we see ourselves," explains Mike Waite, company president. "As an industry leader, our products and services have evolved beyond the 'corrugated box' niche where many of our existing and potential customers categorize us, and it's time to realign our internal structure and goals to meet the new challenges." The rebranding effort is designed to change the perception of the company from a "brown box only" provider to a progressive resource for solutions throughout the supply chain.
SIOUX FALLS, S.D.—Bell Inc. has hired Tom Alton as its new business development director. He previously served with Altivity/Graphic Packaging International for 15 years, most recently as VP of sales.
MENOMONEE FALLS, Wis.—Glenroy, Inc. has promoted Kimberly Weiss to the position of account manager within Glenroy's service team. She will have the primary responsibility for maintaining and developing strong customer relationships. pP
