Business Management - Operations

Chicago was a busy place during the second week in September. The city hosted Labelexpo Americas 2006 with its 450+ exhibitiors and more than 13,000 visitors, many of whom gave the show a distinct international flare. Along with a steady flow of traffic during the four-day event, the show featured a wealth of significant new products introduced to the label printing market. The following rundown presents a brief review of some of the highlights. Lots to see Avery Dennison announced the acquisition of RF IDentics, a start-up company with technologies and manufacturing assets to enhance its RFID product offerings. UPM Raflatac reviewed its plans

LINTHICUM, Md.—The Flexible Packaging Association’s 2006 Fall Executive Conference will be held Wednesday, October 4, 2006 at The Drake Hotel in Chicago. The conference theme is "The Impact of Globalization on the U.S. Flexible Packaging Industry." The agenda includes presentations by Michael Richmond, PhD of Packaging & Technology Integrated Solutions and Graham Cox of Pira International. The presentation will detail the results of research conducted on the dynamics of globalization and the opportunities it creates within the industry. Also featured are author John Caslione, Neil Rogers of Procter & Gamble, Amit Sheth of Environmental Packaging International, and a panel discussion on global sourcing strategies.

HELSINKI, FINDLAND—UPM Raflatac has announced its plans to build a new pressure sensitive labelstock factory in Dixon, IL, 105 miles west of Chicago. The new factory will focus on serving label converters in the important U.S. Midwest marketplace. The construction of the new facility will start immediately and be completed during the first quarter of 2008. The value of the investment will be approximately $109 million. The new factory will offer UPM Raflatac's full North American product range of paper and film products. It will feature UPM Raflatac's latest, proprietary technical solutions both in the coating and finishing areas. "Our target is to be the number

Flexible packaging represents a dynamic market for growth. Substantial opportunities exist in many of its sub-categories, with pouches ranking right up there at the top of the mix. While many package printers are positioning themselves to get a piece of this action, there are any number of companies that are already well established in this arena. CLP, an Israel-based company that does business in 26 countries around the world, happens to be one of them. Rooted in plastic CLP was founded in 1971 in Kibbutz Negba, Israel in a regional effort to diversify the area’s economic base by getting into the plastics industry. The

DUNCANSVILLE, Pa.—FL Smithe and Aquaflex will host an informational seminar for small and mid-sized converters at the FL Smithe facility in Duncansville, Pa. The one-day seminar, entitled “From Labels to Film: An educational session for the label converter,” will introduce the flexible packaging marketplace to converters wishing to diversify their business models. The session will feature guest speakers from leading vendors such as Harper, Water Ink Technologies and Trinity Graphics, as well as a keynote speaker on the flexible packaging marketplace. Topics will include the differences in plate-making and anilox rolls between film and paper, among others. Aquaflex will

The July issue of packagePRINTING will include the annual edition of the Tag and Label Manufacturers Institute’s (TLMI) Products & Services Guide. This extensive listing provides a compilation of TLMI converter and supplier member contact information and service profiles. The contact information and company capability profiles are provided separately for converter and supplier members. The capabilities and products and services offered by both converter and supplier members are presented in a series of extensive charts that make it easy to find any products or services you might need.

During this hour-long seminar, Sean Craig, product manager, Tidland Corp., will explain what factors should be considered in leveraging the latest shaft technology to optimize the performance of rewind and unwind applications. Attendees of this e-seminar, “Best Under Pressure, Performance Considerations for Core Shaft Selection,” will learn how to safely unwind large diameter rolls and maintain consistent tension, minimize vibration in surface and high speed winding, successfully wind product without cores, minimize ergonomic injuries in core shaft handling and roll loading, and equalize tension across multiple rolls in spite of caliper variation in the web. To register for the seminar, visit www.tidland.com/eseminar

The August issue of packagePRINTING includes extensive coverage of the Labelexpo including the exhibitors’ list, floor plan, and important information about the conferences planned. A sampling of the new products that will be on display during the show, scheduled for Sept. 11-14 in Chicago, will also grace the pages of this planner. Rotoflex International Inc. will demonstrate the next generation in digital web finishing technology at Labelexpo Americas 2006. The new Configuration 2 Vericut includes the latest advancements in semi rotary spot coating, cold foil, hot foil and embossing. Rotoflex is a world leader in advanced high-tech solutions for security sensitive industries including

CHICAGO—Smurfit-Stone Container Corporation today announced that Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Patrick J. Moore received the Pulp & Paper Safety Association’s (PPSA) Executive Eagle Award for 2005. The annual award is presented to a pulp and paper industry executive that demonstrates a firm commitment to industry safety and makes significant contributions to the improvement of safety and health programs within his or her company. The Executive Eagle Award was presented to Moore June 14 during the PPSA conference in Orlando. “It is an honor to receive the Executive Eagle Award for Smurfit-Stone’s safety efforts. I share this award with all the Smurfit-Stone employees who follow

CHESTERFIELD, Mo.—Space is filling up fast for the Mark Andy Educator Series Seminar, Film Labels Done Right on July 12, 2006 at their headquarters in Chesterfield, Missouri. The event focuses on film, film label and other filmic applications for narrow web! This is a developing market, and each attendee will learn from a variety of critical supply and technology resources such as Klockner Films, Xsys Ink, Flexographic Resources and more! The seminar will address the various learning curves in making the transition from traditional pressure sensitive labels into prime film markets. Sessions will help alleviate the hurdles and challenges converters have when