Working the Rules

Working the Rules

FPA Committee Monitors Workplace Regulations

FPA’s Environmental, Health, and Safety (EHS) Committee tracks regulatory developments on federal, environmental, and occupational safety regulations and develops action plans to deal with those that could impact the industry. During the last six months, the committee weighed in on several U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rulemakings that were deemed to affect members’ facility operations. […]

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Challenges For 2021 Remain Vivid

We are entering a new year that will prove to be as challenging as 2020 for many of the same reasons. The COVID-19 pandemic is reaching its second and third waves worldwide, and the efficacy and rollout of a vaccine is uncertain. And, as federal, state, and local budgets have been strained, it is expected […]

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Novolex Donates Materials to Create Face Shields

In April, Novolex donated plastic sheets needed to make face shields to protect health care workers and other first responders as they tackled the COVID-19 pandemic. Individual face shields were cut from up to one-ton rolls of transparent polyethylene produced at Novolex manufacturing centers and then were affixed onto head harnesses at assembly points across […]

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Yearning for Growth

Yearning for Growth

Forecast Calls for Strong Year

If there is one safe bet about the year ahead, it’s that 2021 will be nothing like 2020.

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Industry News
Highlights In Sustainability, Leadership, Company Growth, And More

Highlights In Sustainability, Leadership, Company Growth, And More

Proampac Breaks Ground On Innovation Center ProAmpac recently broke ground on a collaboration and innovation center, a multi-million-dollar investment that will expand the company’s existing facility to house what will become an international hub for packaging design and development. CEO Greg Tucker was joined by Kathleen C. Hochul, New York lieutenant governor, and local dignitaries […]

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Digital Exclusive
Weekly News Roundup

Liquibox Opens Factory in Madrid

Liquibox has opened a 140,000-square-foot flexible packaging “super-factory” in Madrid, Spain, which they’ve been working on since February. The new factory will more than triple the bag-making capacity for the company in continental Europe, while also expanding the types and sizes of flexible bags the company can bring to market. This new capacity is well […]

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Digital Exclusive
Amcor Talks Sustainability at PACK EXPO

Amcor Talks Sustainability at PACK EXPO

Fabio Peyer describes new efforts to enhance quality and recyclability

Fabio Peyer, director of sustainability at Amcor Flexibles North America, recently gave a presentation on innovations made at the company to reach milestones in sustainability goals.  “The packaging of the future needs to be developed with the end in mind and contribute to the circular economy, while still continuing to meet productivity, product protection, and […]

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Digital Exclusive
Weekly News Roundup

Graham Partners Buys Converting Operations

Graham Partners has purchased Berry Global Group’s flexible packaging converting business, according to news release from Graham. The acquisition includes six printing and laminating flexible packaging facilities, formerly a part of Berry Global’s North American extrusion, converting and coating business. The business will be combined with Graham Partners’ flexible packaging portfolio company, Advanced Barrier Extrusions […]

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Digital Exclusive
Weekly News Roundup

Canadian Supplier to Close Plant

Cascades Inc. has announced that its Laval plant in Canada will be closing on June 30, 2021, because of problems faced during the pandemic, according to a company news release. The plant specializes in the manufacture of napkins for the away-from-home market. The Nov. 25 news release says that the plant, which has 54 workers, […]

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Digital Exclusive
Weekly News Roundup

Ship & Shore Expands Into India

Ship & Shore Environmental Inc., based in Long Beach, California, is expanding its overseas operations into India with engineering services specifically designed for the Indian market, as well as with a team that includes sales, marketing, and business development, the company said in a news release. The company, which specializes in air pollution capture and […]

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Digital Exclusive
Weekly News Roundup

Duravant to Buy Cloud Packaging Solutions

Duravant LLC has agreed to buy Cloud Packaging Solutions from its parent company, Hearthside Food Solutions LLC. Cloud makes high-speed horizontal flexible packaging equipment. Cloud’s patented rotary soluble pod equipment and ultra-high-speed packet, pouch, and sachet machines will extend Duravant’s reach into new markets, the company said in a news release. Duravant is a global […]

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Digital Exclusive
FlexFocus™FlexMatters
A Conversation With Paul Frantz

A Conversation With Paul Frantz

Chief Commercial Officer, Novolex

In this Q&A with Novolex Chief Commercial Officer Paul Frantz, we learn about his path from packaging to logistics and back to packaging, as well as some valuable career advice.

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News DeskWeekly News Roundup

PAC Worldwide Names New Procurement VP

PAC Worldwide has named Nellie Perry as vice president of global sourcing and procurement. Perry will oversee the procurement of all resins, prints, coatings, tapes, composites, and related materials used in PAC’s flexible and sustainable packaging, the company said in a news release.  The company produces a wide assortment of mailers, pouches, cold chain packaging, and […]

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Digital Exclusive
Weekly News Roundup

Polyplex USA to Expand Alabama Facility

Polyplex USA will spend more than $100 million at its Decatur, AL, facility to expand its existing operations by adding a second Thin BOPET film line and increasing capacity for captive resin, the company says in a news release. Construction is scheduled to begin in the first half of 2021 and production is expected to […]

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Digital Exclusive
Weekly News Roundup

Brook & Whittle Announces New Partnership

Brook & Whittle Holding Corp. is now partnering with Tri Print LLC based in Huntington Beach, California. Tri Print provides packaging solutions to brands and customers in consumer markets, including personal care, health and beauty, natural products, nutraceuticals, and celebrity branding, while Brook & Whittle provides sustainable pressure sensitive and shrink sleeve prime labels, according […]

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Digital Exclusive
Weekly News Roundup

Spartech Names New CEO

Spartech has named John Inks CEO after he had been serving as chief operating officer for the manufacturer of engineered thermoplastics and custom packaging solutions that is based in St. Louis, Missouri. “As chief operating officer for the past 18 months, John has demonstrated exceptional leadership while at the same time driving improvements in a […]

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National
Advocacy in a Time of Unknowns

Advocacy in a Time of Unknowns

Planning will be difficult

November is the month of the great unknowns. Questions abound, including how will the elections turn out? Who will be the president come January? Will the Senate flip to the Democrats’ control? Where will we be in fighting the pandemic and will some type of normalcy return, or will we be in the grip of new COVID-19 breakouts and […]

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Charity Work Goes Digital Because of Virus

American Packaging Corp. (APC) and its owners—the Schottland family—have long been involved with The Hole in the Wall Gang Camp, founded by the late film star and philanthropist Paul Newman in Ashford, Connecticut.

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Trade Policies in 2021

Trade Policies in 2021

Election Could Shift Priorities 

Catty Corp. has been buying light-gauge aluminum foil for more than 80 years. So, after the U.S. began cracking down on imports from China in 2017, the flexible-packaging firm began to further lean on longstanding relationships around the world to ensure a consistent supply. But that didn’t mean it was an easy transition, says Bruce […]

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