January 2005 Issue
Customer Service and Responsiveness
Solventless lamination provides the versatility needed by Hood Packaging Corp.'s plant in Decatur, Ga. to help it meet the needs of its customers. HOOD PACKAGING CORP. is a fast-growing manufacturer of printed packaging products, specializing in customized paper and plastic bags. The company's roots go back to 1959, and it spent its first 30 years as a one-plant operation named Southern Bag Corp. In the early 1990s, the company began a series of acquisitions to expand its reach in packaging. First, two multi-wall bag plants were acquired from Georgia Pacific, along with the operation of Patria Packaging of Valdosta, Ga. In 1996, Southern
Film Materials?Eye-Catching Versatility
Companies developing film materials are staying one step ahead by staying in close contact with their customers. NEW PLASTIC FILM materials are making a big splash in the marketplace and in many instances are replacing some of the tried-and-true substrates of years past, such as paper and foil. With a variety of different uses, packagePRINTING asked a sampling of film suppliers what they see as the trends in the film material market. Ultimate world domination Not really, but Gretchen Adams of AET Films said films such as AET's are slowly replacing more traditional printed substrates, such as paper. "AET Films is the only independent
Some Like It Hot ...
The technology behind today's drying equipment hasn't changed very much in recent years, but that doesn't make it any easier for a converter to choose the best product. EACH CONVERTER HAS his or her own unique needs when it comes to drying equipment, and one trend seems to be mixing different technologies to meet the needs of the application. This is just one approach, however, and drying equipment suppliers are continuing to provide the latest and greatest product advancements to meet customers' needs. Coping with trends Matt Litzler, president of C.A. Litzler, knows well about keeping his customers happy. "When customers in the
Special Treatment
Surface treating technology makes printing on plastic substrates possible, but not just any off-the-shelf equipment will do. PRINTING ON FILMS without first treating the substrate surface is a lot like skydiving without a parachute. It's possible, but the result is going to be a mess. Luckily, there are several surface treating options, each with advantages for different applications. Of the three main kinds of treaters, corona treaters are the most common, according Tom Gilbertson, Enercon Industries Corp.'s vice president of applications engineering. They are used for most applications and are less expensive alternatives compared to atmospheric plasma and flame treaters. Atmospheric plasma
The Situation on Ink
Is ink price not important? Are metallics losing steam? Industry experts explain the results of packagePRINTING's Ink Usage Survey. PACKAGEPRINTING'S 8TH ANNUAL Ink Usage Survey asked tag & label, flexible packaging, and folding carton printers, as well as ink suppliers, about everything from general ink usage/sales, to hybrids, specialty inks, and more. For a better understanding of the survey tallies, packagePRINTING asked ink suppliers to give their views on the results, many of which reflect a growing and evolving ink industry. Issues that matter On-press predictability and ink price have battled it out for the top spot on the list of package printers' main
The Year of the Flexo Plate
Today's flexo platemaking systems offer printers a variety of options to match their costs, quality, and speed needs. FOR MORE THAN a few flips of the calendar, flexography has held top billing as the fastest growing printing method for labels and packaging. Boosted by an impressive succession of technological advances, this once red-headed stepchild of the pressroom has become our industry's new darling. Despite a developing threat from digital printing just over the horizon, flexo appears capable of maintaining its favored position, too. Its attractive economics and suitability for a wide range of packaging applications—especially for flexible packaging—are certain to keep flexo's popularity on
