Printer News - April 2012

TLMI Announces Eugene Singer Award Winners

GLOUCESTER, Mass.—The Tag and Label Manufacturers Institute (TLMI) has announced the winners of its prestigious Eugene Singer Award for Management Excellence. One of TLMI's highest honors, the award recognizes excellence in business management measured and defined by an established set of growth and profitability ratios through the participation in the TLMI Management Ratio Study. The Singer Award is given annually to four narrow-web converting companies; each company within a certain sales range category. The 2011 TLMI Eugene Singer Awards:

• Fountain Valley, Calif.-based Coast Label Company won in the small company category (less than $6 million) for the fourth time. Company President Craig Moreland commented, "Coast Label Company is very proud to have earned the Eugene Singer Award for 2011. I believe that there is more value in the various TLMI competitions and certifications than we as members sometimes acknowledge."
• Fairfield, Ohio-based Kopco Graphics, Inc. won for the mid-range company category (sales of $6 to $14 million). Walter Zeek, company president and CEO, stated, "Winning the Eugene Singer award for the fourth time is just as exciting as the first. Although the award is mainly driven by financial performance, the real driver of the results come from the employees and the hundreds of decisions made each business day."
• Aurora, Ill.-based The Label Printers won for the medium company category ($15 to $35 million in sales). This is The Label Printer's third Eugene Singer Award. Chief of Operations Lori Campbell, commented, "We are thankful to TLMI for offering the Ratio Study as a member benefit; I view it as the real prize here. It provides us with the roadmap for where to focus our efforts."
• Longwood, Fla.-based Consolidated Label won for the large company category defined by sales greater than $35 million. This is Consolidated Label's tenth Eugene Singer Award. Company President Joel Carmany, commented, "We are honored to win the Singer award for the tenth year running. It is truly a culmination of a tremendous team effort over many years."

Hammer Wins Seven 
International Print Awards

ROCHESTER, N.Y.—Hammer Packaging has been recognized with seven awards in the 37th International Gallery of Superb Printing competition, produced by the International Association of Printing House Craftsmen (IAPHC). The competition is produced annually by the IAPHC, honoring excellence in the arts and sciences of graphic expression.

Hammer received recognition across several label types: Gold Awards for Activate, Nantucket Nectars, and Two If By Tea; Silver Awards for Bolthouse Farms Passion Orange Guava, Purex Crystals, and Tribe Tea; and Bronze Award for Summer's Eve.

Kevin Keane, president and CEO of the IAPHC commented: "Hammer Packaging prides itself on its near perfect record of client retention, and the judges of the 37th International Gallery could see why the firm is so successful both in delighting clients and in building on its tremendous record of award-winning label printing. In 2011, the firm was recognized with seven more International Gallery awards, and the IAPHC salutes Hammer Packaging as being very deserving of this International renown."

ASL Print FX Wins World Label Award

VAUGHN, Ontario—For the second year in a row, ASL Print FX has been awarded the World Label Award for excellence in technical achievement, this time for printing of the Red Tile Central Coast label. This label was judged in the Flexo Wine & Spirits category by the World Label Award Association.

The World Label Competition is composed of six local label associations that represent the continents on which they operate. Top entries from the following associations are pitted against each other: FINAT (Europe), TLMI (North America), JFLP (Japan), LMAI (India), LATMA (Australia), and SALMA (New Zealand).

"We are thrilled to be recognized by the judges as world-class in technical achievement two years in a row." says Charlie MacLean, president and CEO of ASL Print FX.

Multi-Color Completes 
Labelgraphics Acquisition

BATAVIA, Ohio—Multi-Color Corporation (MCC) has completed its acquisition of privately held Labelgraphics Holdings. Labelgraphics, headquartered in Glasgow, Scotland, has annual revenues of approximately £13 million and predominantly supplies the UK spirit and wine markets. Its relocation to a brand new facility and recent additional press capacity in Glasgow provides an opportunity for significant growth.

MCC President and CEO, Nigel Vinecombe said, "We have had an excellent relationship with Labelgraphics' owners for many years. Building on the success of Alex Mulvenny, Sr., Alex and Peter Mulvenny and the current Labelgraphics' team are the leading wine and spirit label company in the UK and rank among the best in the world for quality, service, and results. We are delighted Alex Mulvenny will continue to run Labelgraphics and also be a member of our global Senior Leadership Team, including responsibility for global account management for a number of key customers." Labelgraphics becomes part of the MCC's European Group with operations in Italy, France, and Poland and reporting to European President, Andrea Guidotti.

Century Label 
Consolidates

RED OAK, Texas—Century Label, Inc. announced the move of its manufacturing operations to a new plant in Round Rock, Texas where it will consolidate with its subsidiary, Hyde Park Label of Austin, Texas. "The consolidation of our manufacturing under one roof will streamline our operations and provide the needed expansion space to accommodate the growing demand we've experienced for our products and services the past three years," says President and CEO Randy Wise. "The new plant will enable us to add new technologies and provide our growing client base with the label and packaging solutions they are calling for in today's dynamic marketplace. We are very excited about consolidating our operations in a great location."

Century Label will maintain it's sales, customer service and accounting offices in the Red Oak, Texas area to service its Dallas area clientele. The relocation and consolidation of the company's manufacturing operations is expected to be complete by the end of May 2012.

PEOPLE

SPARTANBURG, S.C.—Exopack® has appointed Miles McHugh to the position of chief financial officer. McHugh previously served as executive vice president and chief financial officer for R.R. Donnelley & Sons Company, and has also held financial positions in Mirant Corp., California Energy Co., Westpac Banking Corp., and PricewaterhouseCoopers.

TOPEKA, Kan.—The Foil & Specialty Effects Association (FSEA) has presented its 2012 Lifetime Achievement Award to Harry Voss of Rochester, N.Y.-based Diamond Packaging. The prestigious award recognizes Voss for his commitment and contributions to the growth of foil stamping, embossing, and other specialty processes within the packaging industry; for his leading role in creating the Global Packaging Alliance; and for his strong belief in corporate citizenship and community involvement by helping to bridge the gap between education and the "real world" through internship and co-op programs.

LAKEWOOD, N.J.—Luminer Converting Group has made several recent staff additions. John Lubisco has been hired as its quality assurance manager; Steve Domeraski joins the quality control team as a quality tech at the Lakewood, N.J. facility; Dan Goldstein comes on board as a marketing associate; and Ban Bazzoui joins the customer service team. pP