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The Global Packaging Alliance (GPA) recently held its annual meeting in Hong Kong, providing an ideal forum for its members to review industry trends and the latest developments in packaging innovation and sustainability. The group also focused on ways to further support international brands in growth markets. GPA members opened the meeting by discussing packaging trends in their respective markets and sharing the latest developments in their packaging operations, including equipment investments, technical advancements, process improvements, new materials, and operating data for benchmarking. The agenda also included a review of market developments in the Middle East and India with

NEU-ISENBURG, Germany, – DuPont Packaging Graphics announces the planned start-up of the new DuPont Cyrel round manufacturing facility at its site in Neu-Isenburg, Germany. Cyrel round sleeve production will begin in the first quarter of 2012. "This investment extends our capability to supply the growing global demand for flexographic print sleeves and demonstrates our commitment to advancing flexography around the world," said Matthias Heinzel, global business director – DuPont Packaging Graphics. "Continuous flexo sleeves are lightweight, easy-to-handle print forms that enable quick change-over on press; and their seamless design enables high press speeds and the capability to print difficult-to-register,

Asahi, a developer of photopolymer plates for use in flexo printing, has been named a technology partner by Color-Logic. Color-Logic’s chief technical officer Richard Ainge commented: ‘Asahi flexo plates underwent extensive Color-Logic tests at the Clemson University Sonoco Institute of Packaging Design & Graphics, ensuring that the Color-Logic Process Metallic Color System can be successfully executed using Asahi printing plates on a variety of flexographic presses. Flexographic printers thus can be assured that they can successfully run metallic images for their label and packaging customers using the Color-Logic system.’ Asahi flexo plates are available in North America through All

Director , Sonoco Institute of Packaging Design and Graphics: What role will active and intelligent components play in future food and drink packaging? We caught up with Chip Tonkin, director of the US based Sonoco Institute of Packaging Design and Graphics at Interpack 2011 to find out. He stressed that cost is still a major factor in brand owners choosing new packaging materials, and without economies of scale, a lot of active and intelligent packaging developments remain stuck in the pilot production phase. And Tonkin explained how the Institute, based at Clemson University, is exploring how to make active

Dow Chemical has successfully demonstrated the use of recycled plastic to generate energy for industrial operations, the company has announced. In a pilot test, Dow said it recovered 96 percent of available energy from 578 pounds of incinerated plastic at one of its waste treatment facilities in Midland, Mich. The energy recovered was equivalent to 11.1 million BTUs of natural gas and was used as fuel for Dow’s incinerator. The test used linear low-density polyethylene (LLDPE) scrap film generated in one of Dow’s extrusion laboratories. It is the same type of film commonly used for packaging food and consumer

SUN CHEMICAL HAS DEVELOPED A FAST drying ink that could become the basis for a new series of printing inks. The manufacturer has replaced some of the compounds used to balance drying and printing performance in an ink using different raw materials in a combination molecules that it has applied for patents on. In the SunLit Titan ink, these help to give the paper a dry to the touch feel only seconds after leaving the press. The printed sheet can be turned and put back through the machine almost immediately without concerns about marking, making it ideal for companies

Walle Corporation, a leading label supplier to the beverage, food and household products industries, is leveraging EskoArtwork's HD Flexo high definition flexographic screening technology to provide a high-quality, affordable, and environmentally-friendly alternative to gravure. Known for its ongoing commitment to innovation and efficiency, Walle has already achieved two significant firsts as an HD Flexo user: its Winchester, KY facility was the site of the first North American installation of HD Flexo, and the company, having demonstrated the highest level of expertise with the technology, is the first label printer to become an HD Flexo certified user. "We have been

Last year, the Flexographic Technical Assn.’s Annual Forum and INFO*FLEX were significant successes. In fact, last year’s Las Vegas rendition of the FTA’s annual event was a spring harbinger of several additional successful industry events that followed that year. But this year’s event at the JW Marriott and Indiana Convention Ctr., Indianapolis, IN, on May 1—4, has been lauded, according to an FTA press release, as nothing less than “Phenomenal!” and “Fantastic!“ Printers were everywhere.” “Impressive.” Traffic was heavy.

It’s easy to see why printing companies have made flexography their printing method of choice for colorful retail packaging and other products. “Flexography is without peer when it comes to substrate versatility,” observed John Copeland, division president of the printing ink division of Toyo Ink America. “No other process can print words and images on such a wide range of foil, film, paperboard, cellophane, envelopes and tissue paper, and produce excellent results.” Advances in automation, plate imaging technologies and printing inks have further solidified flexography’s standing as a sophisticated, high-quality printing platform. Toyo Ink America’s participation in InfoFlex 2011

(Press Release) - From June 28-29, 2011, the Paperboard Packaging Council (PPC) will conduct its annual Technical and Production Forum at PPC headquarters in Springfield, MA. In this instructional workshop, industry experts will provide insight into technical best practices and innovations via cutting-edge presentations, educational demonstrations, and revealing discussions. The breakthrough strategies presented at the workshop will help operations personnel, plant managers, technical directors, and department leaders to make the most informed choices-and leverage the tools needed-to make their business grow and succeed. Topics to be explored in-depth include: "This event is designed to encompass a vast array of