Converting Industry News
- Published: June 01, 2001
Covering the Full Spectrum of Industry News, Events & Activities
Big Easy Packages Offer Big Benefits
The Big Easy is a new line of large, barrier-coated paperboard canisters developed by Paper Machinery Corp. The packages, which combine the printing qualities of paperboard with the barrier properties of a canister, are said to be ideal replacements for bag-in-the-box packages.
Produced on the company's PMC-1300NR forming machines, the Big Easy canisters can be manufactured in round or nonround shapes, with sidewalls that are tapered or straight. Height can range to 12 in. with capacities to 1 gal. They can be topped with composite, paperboard, or plastic closures.
VP Jerry Meier says, “These canisters are easy to open, easy to pour, and easy to reclose securely to keep products fresh. There are no torn inner bags. No destroyed boxes. No spilled or wasted product. And the non-round canisters are easy for anyone to hold and handle.”
Supplier Information
Paper Machinery Corp., Milwaukee, WI; 414/354-8050; papermc.com
Cellophane Meets Candymaker's Needs
Polish candy manufacturer Odra wraps its line of Mini hard caramel candies in printed metallized cellophane 340 Rayo M from UCB Films. The product's brilliant luster is said to enhance print definition, and the stability of the metallized surface ensures good ink adhesion.
Odra president Cecylia Zdebik says the company chose cellophane because of its ability to run at very high speeds. “Only the UCB Films' metallized cellophane gives us the high wrapping efficiencies and machine output that we require in order to meet market demands for this very popular product.”
Supplier Information
UCB Films, Wigton, Cumbria, U.K.; +44 (0) 16973-42281
Resin Benefits Fragrance Package
MT Packaging, Challes, France, uses Eastman Chemical's Eastar copolyester to create the packaging for Issey Miyake's new fragrance, Le Feu D'Issey Light, by Shiseido, Ormes, France.
The copolyester's high surface gloss and excellent clarity perfectly reflect a highly polished, thick ice ball, Eastman reports, and due to the resin's optical properties, the complex inside surface acts like a prism and gives motion to the “fire,” which is the pink part at the heart of the sphere.
Supplier Information
Eastman Chemical Co., Kingsport, TN; 423/229-4853
Retort Pouch Materials Meet Rigid Demands
Kapak Corp., Minneapolis, MN, has a new line of retort pouch materials designed to meet the requirements of institutional packages. The line features two laminations so packagers have a transparent option.
Inside to outside, construction is polyester/silica-coated nylon/cast PP (transparent) and polyester/aluminum foil/biaxially oriented nylon/cast PP. Other options include easy-open, laser-scored, custom-shaped, preformed designs, and premade pouches.
Production begins with an eight-color, sectional drive Toshiba rotogravure press that uses retort-grade inks. The press incorporates an extensive system to dry the inks, which creates excellent ink adhesion and eliminates solvent retention. An Okazaki adhesive laminating system is said to convert the specialized films without causing stress cracking.
After laminating, the film is cured at 123 deg F for 5 days and then is ready to be converted into pouches on Totani equipment, said to be capable of meeting the stringent tolerances required for this application.
Gary Bell, president and CEO of Kapak, says, “We are running world-class, state-of-the-art equipment for each stage of production. That, coupled with our stringent production processes…is why we are able to produce retort material at a quality level that is not typically seen in the US.”
Supplier Information
Toshiba Machine Co., Elk Grove Village, IL; 847/709-7302
Okazaki Machine Industry, Tokyo, Japan; +81 (0) 3-3555-0101
Totani/Amplas, Green Bay, WI; 920/496-0525
Association News
AIMCAL Hosts Summer School
FORT MILL, SC, USA—The Association of Industrial Metallizers, Coaters and Laminators (AIMCAL) will hold its third Summer School program July 24-26 at the Marriott Executive Pk. in Charlotte, NC.
“Practical Usable Solutions to Coating and Laminating Challenges” will encompass introductory classes in metallization, the web coating process, and roll coating, as well as intermediate classes in coating solution preparation technology, premetered slot die coating, drying technology, and web handling/converting.
For more information contact AIMCAL, 2166 Gold Hill Rd., Fort Mill, SC 29708; ph: 803/802-7820; fax: 803/802-7821; e-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
Supplier News
AppliedSensor Opens Lab
PARSIPPANY, NJ , USA—AppliedSensor has opened a US laboratory to perform volatile compound analysis on samples supplied by US customers for quality assurance and control.
Customers currently using AppliedSensor's chemical sensor products to enhance quality control can now ship samples directly to the Parsippany campus for feasibility testing and application development.
BST Pro Mark to Market Teknek Products
CHICAGO, IL, USA—BST Pro Mark has entered a partnership with Teknek Electronics, Renfrewshire, Scotland, to market Teknek's web cleaning technology throughout the US, Mexico, Canada, the Caribbean, and all of Central and South America. Together the companies will offer a full line of standard and custom products for web cleaning applications.
DuPont Opens Holographic Facility
LOGAN, UT, USA—DuPont Displays has opened a new facility to design and manufacture advanced holographic optical elements used for enhancing brightness in LCD displays, as well as holograms for graphic arts and security applications.
The Logan facility, which employs more than 100 people, is 40,000 sq ft and includes a 10,000-sq-ft cleanroom that contains both Class 1,000 and Class 10,000 areas. It replaces a facility previously operated by Krystal Holographics; DuPont acquired Krystal in October 1999 and changed the name to DuPont Holographics. Cheoroo Won is the newly appointed president and CEO of DuPont Holographics.
Weyerhaeuser Commits $1 Million to ICPF
FEDERAL WAY, WA , USA—Weyerhaeuser Co. Foundation is committing $1 million to the International Corrugated Packaging Foundation (ICPF) to supports ICPF's work to build a talent pool for the corrugated industry.
According to Weyerhaeuser chairman Steven R. Rogel, “Weyerhaeuser is committed to strengthening the industry's future through the ICPF. The foundation has an excellent track record of working with US educational institutions in placing equipment and developing curricula to build a talent pool for this industry. We are committed to helping this industry successfully compete in the future. The knowledge and skills of our workforce are — and will be — critical.”
Acquisitions
Innovative Specialty Films Buys NeoVac
RALEIGH-DURHAM, NC, USA—Innovative Specialty Films has acquired NeoVac, Santa Rosa, CA, a designer, manufacturer, and marketer of transparent conductive indium tin oxide (ITO) coated plastic film for use in electroluminescent lamp (EL) and touch panel applications.
With one production sputter roll coater in full production and a second larger machine due to come on-line in the third quarter, the Santa Rosa facility is reported to become ISF's center of excellence for ITO coated film development and production in the US.
Show News
Miami Show Turns Up the Heat
The weather and the Miami Beach attire weren't the only hot topics at this year's Graphics of the Americas (GOA). With more than 25,000 attendees (PFFC included) and over 1,600 booths, this was the largest show ever, reports the Printing Association of Florida (PAF), the show's sponsor.
Held February 2-4 at the Miami Beach Convention Center, GOA 2001 featured more than 600 exhibiting companies as well as a bi-lingual (English and Spanish) multi-track seminar program covering areas like graphic design, prepress, flexography, and converting.
From flexo and gravure methodologies to specific tag and label processes and equipment, the show's designated Converting Pavilion featured an array of converting equipment technology from such companies as Brandtjen & Kluge, Chesnut Engineering, Allison Systems, Heidelberg USA, Prime UV Systems, Mark Andy, Man Roland, Propheteer, Flexo-Export, and many more.
In addition, the expo offered a unique exhibit in the expanding converting area of security. A US Secret Service electronic exhibit demonstrated anti-counterfeiting techniques and showcased the latest technology changes in US currency. Showcasing its latest advances in card (I.D., membership, telephone, etc.) technology and security, Transilwrap Co. offered information on its line of Trans-Kote films, which the company says can be used in combination with a variety of security features (also offered by the mfr.) to prevent card tampering and counterfeiting.
GOA also provided the attendees with plenty of information from the prepress side of the industry. Among the companies exhibiting in this area were A.B. Dick, Agfa, Imation, Kodak Polychrome Graphics, Screen USA, Xeikon, and Anderson & Vreeland.
E-commerce made an appearance, of course, with such companies as PROOF-it-ON-LINE, a supplier that provides an on-line proofing service; Paperloop.com, the information and business exchange that reportedly provides a complete range of transactional information services for manufacturers, suppliers, and end-users; and PaperExchange.com, an Internet marketplace that offers on-line paper ordering, selling, tracking, and shipping.
No show would be complete without an honoree, and GOA 2001 had two. Honored was Lourival Novaes Dantas, founder of Grafica Vera Cruz and Editora Grafica Ipiur, owner of Web Editora publishing house, and the third Brazilian to be inducted into PAF's hall of fame.
The second honoree, Joe Arriola, emigrated from Cuba in 1960 and is ranked among the top Hispanic businessmen in the US, reports PAF. Arriola owns Avanti/Case Hoyt, recognized by Fortune magazine as the largest minority-owned graphics communication company in the US.
Graphics of the Americas 2002 is slated for February 1-3. For more information or to reserve booth space, contact Marsh Bradburd at 800/749-4855, ext. 14.
Print 01 Coming to Chicago
RESTON, VA, USA—The Graphic Arts Show Co. (GASC) will sponsor Print 01 Sept. 6-13 at McCormick Pl. in Chicago, IL. Converting technologies featured at the show will include narrow and wide web printing; efficiencies in web scanning; precision die-cutting; and prepress and computer-to-plate innovations.
On-line registration is available at print01.com. Exhibits-only registrations processed on or before August 1 will be charged at a discount rate of $25, which increases to $40 after that date.
Held in conjunction with the show will be an extensive educational program in which attendees will have five industry areas from which to choose, including a packaging/converting track. A full-day Executive Outlook conference will be held September 5, the day before Print 01 opens. The conference is designed to provide attendees with an advance look at major trends, new product developments, and issues shaping the industry.
For more information contact GASC at 703/264-7200; e-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
