Printer News - January 2013
Stand-Up Pouch for Motor Oil
LAS VEGAS—Officials with the 2012 Automotive Aftermarket Products Expo (AAPEX) awarded Universal Lubricants, a manufacturer and distributor of motor oils, the 2012 New Packaging Award for Innovation for its ECO ULTRA® FlexPak™. This is the first retail motor oil packaged in a sustainable, flexible stand-up pouch. Compared to conventional rigid plastic bottles, the new lightweight FlexPak is made with 25 percent less material, and offers consumers a faster, easier, and cleaner way to change their oil. It also gives retailers and installers a unique opportunity to offer their customers a high-performance product in an environmentally responsible package.
"Packaging our high performance motor oil, manufactured with re-refined base oil, in flexible pouches is what we call eco-innovation," said John Wesley, CEO of Universal Lubricants. "The FlexPak's ease of use and environmental benefits make it good news for service centers, retailers, and consumers. We're thrilled that the AAPEX New Packaging Showcase has recognized this significant step forward in motor oil packaging."
Universal Lubricants has partnered with Atlanta-based Star Packaging, which produces the tough, three-layer ECO ULTRA FlexPak, and the Innovative Packaging Network, which engineered the pour-spout that prevents the traditional "glugs" and bubbles from bottles that cause splatters and spills. The one-quart size ECO ULTRA FlexPak is constructed using a polyethylene barrier that provides superior burst and seal strengths required for the rigors of motor oil. A larger, 5.1-quart FlexPak will be available in 2013.
"Flexible plastic containers are today's hottest packaging trend," said Brian Votaw, business development manager at Star Packaging. "American consumers are most familiar with plastic packs in household cleaning products and in food and beverage containers. Initial research shows that mechanics and service technicians prefer the FlexPak to the bottle and we believe consumers will too."
Curtis Packaging's Coatography™
SANDY HOOK, Conn.—Curtis Packaging Corporation has launched its Curtis Coatography™ series of products. This new line uses advances in coating precision and versatility that allow Curtis to apply a proprietary UV polymer with pinpoint accuracy in varying thicknesses to a wide variety of substrates. It was made possible by Curtis' acquisition of a Scodix S Series digital coating press, said to be the first of its kind at a North American folding carton converter.
"We are extremely excited to launch Curtis Coatogoraphy," said Don Droppo, Jr., president and CEO. "I am awed by the truly three-dimensional enhancements we can achieve using Scodix technology. There is nothing more important to Curtis than continuing to innovate and the acquisition of this revolutionary new press allows us to do just that."
The first product in the series, Coatography Gloss™, allows Curtis to achieve an undulating landscape of coating. It measures 99 Gloss Units, the highest gloss available for printed materials, and can be applied up to 250 microns in polymer height, 100 times higher than traditional UV coatings. Variable density capabilities ranging from one to 100 percent, allow for both high gloss and more "matte" finishes in a single pass. It also offers enhancement for underlying colors through the "lens effect". Digital technology allows for full customization on both short and long runs. Future product offerings in this series will include glitter, spot flocking, and lenticular effects.
Bemis Receives Innovation Award
OSHKOSH, Wis.—Bemis Performance Packaging has received an innovation design award from the 2012 Beverage World Global Packaging Design competition. The award honors the innovation of a special label produced by Bemis Performance Packaging. The Peel N' Tear™ label is an extended roll-fed label providing a patented, perforated, removable coupon. The back of the coupon portion is printed to convey a variety of information including variable gaming, cross-merchandising, new product launches, or rebates and discounts. A full label remains on the bottle after the coupon is removed. As a result, the UPC and deposit copy remain, allowing the bottle to pass through the redemption and recycling processes.
The Peel N' Tear label provides a unique solution for small bottle labels. The peelable corner entices consumers to tear off the perforated coupon, revealing the gaming code that drives consumers to the product's website.
"The Peel N' Tear platform offers our customers a unique approach to bottle labeling and targeted communication with the end consumer," said JB Fisher, general manager – beverage segment for Bemis Performance Packaging. "The concept was borne out of collaboration with our allied equipment partners, which together with Bemis print technologies, delivered true innovation to the beverage market. Peel N' Tear™ demonstrates Bemis's commitment to the beverage industry, which is part of our active pipeline of secondary and primary packaging innovation targeted at this segment."
JohnsByrne Wins Packaging Award
NILES, Ill.—JohnsByrne Company was chosen as winners during the 41st annual Key Art Awards held last year in Hollywood, Calif. The Key Art Awards is sponsored by The Hollywood Reporter and recognizes the best in in entertainment, advertising, and communications. This year, 59 judges chose 233 winners from 2,008 entries including, packaging, posters, theater displays, trailers, and digital.
JohnsByrne's winning entry was for Transformers 3-disc Blu-ray Trilogy collection. The structure was developed by JohnsByrne Company. It was produced with a highly innovative assembly that resembles the Transformers "Autobots" logo. The carton unfolds and slides to reveal the movie genre's 3-disc Blu-ray set and booklets inside. The package is housed inside a PETG cube with support base.
"We are pleased and excited to be recognized by the Key Art entertainment community for this project," said Dave Lemos, partner at JohnsByrne-California. "With an eye towards innovation and creative problem solving, we deliver best-in-class packaging solutions. It is this approach that helps us to deliver keepsake-quality packaging that gets attention and provides a memorable packaging experience for movie enthusiasts."
CCL To Expand in Scotland
TORONTO, Ontario—CCL Industries Inc. has signed a heads of agreement to acquire, through the purchase of shares, John Watson & Co. Ltd., a privately owned label converter located in Glasgow, Scotland. The planned acquisition produces labels for leading distillers of Scotch whisky and other spirits and will complement the global network of CCL Label Wine & Spirits operations in Australia, Asia, Latin America, Russia, South Africa, the UK, and the United States. The transaction is subject to contract, with terms based on the financial performance of John Watson & Co. for calendar year 2013. Specific details will be disclosed following completion of the planned transaction in early 2014.
In the interim period the two companies will cooperate to serve common customers and leverage combined supplier relationships. This coordination will be led by Guenther Birkner, president, food & beverage worldwide together with the management teams of John Watson & Co. and CCL Label Wine & Spirits business units. John Watson, whose family has owned the shares of the company since inception, will remain associated with the business in an advisory capacity.
Geoffrey Martin, president and CEO of CCL Industries, said, "The wine and spirits sector continues to be attractive for us as we have built our business by a series of acquisitions, joint ventures, and greenfield investments around the world. Guenther and his key people have held John Watson & Co. in high regard for a long time and believe the great team that John assembled will allow us to get closer to important global customers located in Scotland. We also plan to support the planned acquisition with further investment in the operation in Glasgow."
WS Packaging Acquires Label World
GREEN BAY, Wis.—WS Packaging has acquired Label World, a Rochester, N.Y.-based printer specializing in labels and flexible packaging.
"Label World has built its business with an ongoing commitment to the highest standards of customer service, helping its customers succeed by delivering labeling and packaging solutions for brand owners," said Rex Lane, CEO of WS Packaging. "The company leverages the problems and challenges of a competitive marketplace and turns them into opportunities."
Pressure-sensitive labels are the core business for Label World. The company also provides a complete range of custom label solutions beyond basic and prime labels, including tags and inserts, point of purchase, extended content labels, plow-folds, and pouches and packets. Additional capabilities include specialty material stocks, varnishes and stamping for premium effects, direct thermal paper and tags, and thermal transfer paper and films.
"All of us at Label World are extremely excited to become part of WS Packaging Group because of our likeminded commitment to our customers' success," said John McDermott, president and CEO, Label World. "And now, having the opportunity to solve customer problems and challenges with a much broader scope of product and service capabilities creates an even stronger position for success."
Graphic Packaging Finalizes Acquisitions
ATLANTA—Graphic Packaging Holding Company has completed the previously announced acquisitions of Contego Packaging Holdings, Ltd., a leading food and consumer products packaging company based in the United Kingdom, and A&R Carton Holding B.V., which is A&R's European beer and beverage packaging business.
"We are excited about the acquisition of Contego's Food and Consumer Carton business as it extends Graphic Packaging into new end markets, expands the company's global footprint, and provides new opportunities for growth," said David Scheible, Graphic Packaging's president and chief executive officer. "The acquisition of A&R Carton's Beer and Beverage packaging business enhances our position in the European beverage packaging market and enables us to extend our customer reach in the region."
The combination of Graphic Packaging's European packaging business with these two acquisitions will create one of Europe's largest folding carton businesses. The two acquisitions will provide state-of-the-art web and sheetfed converting assets creating a manufacturing platform in Europe similar to Graphic Packaging's U.S. operations.
PaperWorks Invests in Packaging Facilities
BALDWINSVILLE, N.Y.—PaperWorks Industries, Inc. has committed substantial resources to enhance printing capabilities, with several packaging projects underway at locations across North America. The addition of advanced printing equipment, a major facility expansion, and new printing capabilities will allow PaperWorks to meet growing demand, expand customer offerings, and maximize packaging manufacturing efficiency.
"We are strongly committed to investing in the future of PaperWorks and its customers," says Lisa Pruett, senior vice president, sales, PaperWorks Packaging Group. "With a focus on acquiring the latest in packaging technology, expansion, and enhanced product offerings, we can exceed customer expectations and meet increased demand as we continue to grow."
"New packaging technology and expansion projects are underway as part of our continued efforts to provide our customers with increased manufacturing efficiency," adds John Hartwell, executive vice president, PaperWorks Packaging Group. "These ongoing customer-specific efforts will establish PaperWorks as a leading supplier of streamlined, cost-effective packaging options for a variety of applications."
PEOPLE
Lofton Label has named Micheal Lane as CEO and made four additional executive appointments. Lane joined Lofton in 2010 as senior VP of sales and marketing and has contributed significantly to strategic improvements in the company's organizational structure and quality management initiatives. Additional appointments include: Steve Braun, VP and production manager; Bill Feany, VP and controller; Luther Galchutt, VP and sales manager; and Mike Gaughan, executive VP of manufacturing.
R. R. Donnelley & Sons Co. announced that Daniel L. Knotts is being named COO, succeeding John R. Paloian who is retiring after more than 25 years in the industry. Knotts has most recently served as the company's group president.
Jim Price has joined blister card supplier Rohrer Corp. providing support to the sales team across North America as the national sales director.
Sonoco announced that M. Jack Sanders will become president and CEO of the company, effective April 1, 2013, when Harris E. DeLoach Jr., retires as an active employee after more than 27 years with Sonoco. Sanders also was elected to Sonoco's Board of Directors, effective immediately, increasing the board to 13 members. He is currently president and COO with global leadership, sales, and operating responsibility for all of the company's diversified packaging businesses. Additional personnel moves announced by Sonoco include: John M. Colyer Jr. has been named senior VP, global industrial products and protective solutions; Rob C. Tiede has been named senior VP, global consumer packaging and services; Rodger D. Fuller has been named group VP paper/tubes and cores, North America; R. Howard Coker has been given the additional responsibilities as group VP, global rigid paper and plastics; and Vicki B. Arthur will replace Ronald G. Leach Jr., who is retiring as VP, protective solutions, effective March 31, 2013. pP
