Tough Times

The packaging market has been described over the years as being recession-proof. This current recession is testing that theory in a big way. (And, yes, it's OK to use the 'R' word now. It's the 'D' words we are trying to avoid now—depression and deflation.)

James Hammer, president and CEO of Hammer Packaging, says it clearly. "There is no industry that is recession-proof. Some are impacted less than others, but all industries suffer when reinvestment slows or stops altogether." While he believes the label market has remained relatively stable, "the competitive nature of the industry has become more intense than prior to the present economic situation," he says.