STATE OF THE INDUSTRY ON THE OFFENSIVE

—Jessica Millward, Associate Editor

For more information:

Freedonia Group's World Converted Flexible Packaging study, call (440) 684-9600

Keymark Associates, call (770) 579-5979

Kline & Company, call (973) 435-6262

Folding Cartons: No Cutting Corners This Year

AS MOST FOLDING carton converters will tell you, 2001 was a tough year. Many smaller companies pulled through by reducing inventories and holding off on purchasing, while others worked to improve their offerings and customer service, hoping to find profit behind the "survival of the fittest" theory. "Over the last few weeks, printers have had a much more hopeful tone," says Ben Markens, president of the consulting firm Converter's Resource. "January got off to a slow start, but sales leads seem to be increasing. One of my clients even used the word 'good' to describe February's outlook."