Nov/Dec 2023 – FlexPack Voice

Digital Exclusive

Trade Group: New Aluminum Tariffs Undermine U.S. Companies and Consumers

December 21, 2023

The U.S. Department of Commerce’s recent decision to extend tariffs on aluminum to South Korea and Thailand will cost jobs in the U.S., while increasing prices for consumers and undermining the integrity of flexible packaging intended to protect food and medical supplies, according to the Flexible Packaging Association.

Digital Exclusive

Academics Examine Food Waste and Packaging

December 7, 2023

Michigan State University’s School of Packaging completed a study on food waste that offers insights for packaging companies as they work to keep foods fresh as long as possible.

Digital Exclusive

Students Demonstrate Future Workforce of Robots

November 21, 2023

If the future workplace is filled with machines running on artificial intelligence and robotics, workers will be needed to create the machines, run them, and then make repairs as the robots falter. That thinking was on display at PACK EXPO Las Vegas.

Digital Exclusive

New Report Examines Recycling Impact and Market Development

November 9, 2023

The study sheds light on the valuable work that has been done to grow markets, including the creation of hundreds of thousands of jobs, for recycled materials.

State

EPR Programs Evolve During 2023

Nov/Dec 2023

Four states have passed extended producer responsibility bills for packaging. Each program is structured differently, which can create confusion.

2023 Milestones

FPA Members Mark Anniversaries With Trade Association

Nov/Dec 2023

Nearly 60 years ago, a husband and wife team named their new flexible packaging company after their two sons, Glen and Roy. Today, Glenroy, Inc.—the company started by Herb, Ruth, and Roy Jablonka—still operates as a privately held company from its headquarters in Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin. “Glenroy is a third-generation, family-owned flexible packaging converter and […]

The Billion(s) Dollar Question

The Recycling Partnership Outlines Initiatives

Nov/Dec 2023

The Recycling Partnership is researching people who participate in store drop-off programs to figure out why and how they participate.

Reimagining FPA

Working Groups Revamp Fall Conference and Expand Memberships

Nov/Dec 2023

The Flexible Packaging Association has long been the voice of flexible packaging industry, and that voice has been stretching to reach more places in recent years.

FlexFocus™FlexMatters

A Closer Look at Evan Arnold

President of Glenroy, Inc.

Nov/Dec 2023

In this issue, we interview Evan Arnold, president of Glenroy, Inc.

Polytechnique Montreal Rooted in Meeting Industry’s Needs

Nov/Dec 2023

We talk to Abdellah Ajji, Ph.D., who heads the chemical engineering department at Polytechnique Montreal.

Digital Exclusive

BOBST Building ‘Competence Center’ in Georgia

October 31, 2023

The leaders at BOBST were seeing a growing demand for flexible packaging and wanted a way to demonstrate what it had to offer its customers.

National

Challenging Legislative Year Coming to a Close

Nov/Dec 2023

As the first session of the 118th U.S. Congress comes to a close, the legislative year ended with few major accomplishments.

Sorting Technology Advances Recycling Efforts

Nov/Dec 2023

The goal in the plastics industry is clear: The consumption of fossil raw materials must be reduced to the bare minimum. But how can our linear material flows be transformed into an efficient circular economy?

SPMC® Members Receive Industry Awards

Nov/Dec 2023

Over the past year, several members of the Sterilization Packaging Manufacturers Council (SPMC®) received industry recognition for their contributions to the healthcare packaging industry. These honors are a testament to the talent and dedication of those who voluntarily serve on SPMC®. Marie Tkacik Marie Tkacik, director of product development and optimization at Beacon Converters, Inc., […]

ELC Co-Chair Reflects on his Tenure

Nov/Dec 2023

As I near the end of my term as co-chair of the Emerging Leadership Council, I would like to say a heartfelt “thank you.”

News Desk

FPA Joins Effort Seeking ‘Sensible Regulations’

Nov/Dec 2023

The Manufacturers for Sensible Regulations coalition seeks to encourage policymakers to help release the power of U.S. manufacturing by ridding job creators of overly burdensome regulations.

Advocacy and Strategic Planning Round Out 2023

Nov/Dec 2023

As the year ends and we all reflect on our accomplishments as well as our resolutions for the new year, the Flexible Packaging Association (FPA) has a lot to celebrate in 2023 and look forward to in 2024. On the state level, the advocacy focus was again on extended producer responsibility (EPR) legislation, per- and […]

News Desk Weekly News Roundup

Manufacturing Jobs Continue to Show Strength

Nov/Dec 2023

The National Association of Manufacturers reported in its Workforce in Focus newsletter earlier in October that manufacturing jobs have exceeded 13 million for the first time since November 2008. “Manufacturing employment rose by 17,000 in September, the fastest monthly gain since October 2022 and an extension of the gain of 11,000 seen in August,” according to the […]

Digital Exclusive

Expert: Merger Outlook Evolves for Label Converters

October 31, 2023

As optimism began to creep back into economic forecasts in the second half of 2023, small and medium-sized label converters are ripe for consolidation.

The SPE Flexible Packaging Division has been presenting FlexPackCon since 2000. In 2023, the Montreal location reached maximum capacity of almost 200 attendees. The event blends fundamentals with applied experience to address emerging issues and opportunities in packaging.

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Dscoop is the global community of HP Industrial Print users, partners, and innovators—20,000+ strong and growing. We help members connect, learn, and lead the future of digital print.

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Held annually in the U.S. since 2012, Digital Print for Packaging began as an opportunity for digital print equipment suppliers to network with converters on the relatively new idea of digital print for packaging. The interest and desire for digital print options continues to grow as converters look to provide new services and satisfy growing demands, and the industry shares a desire to explore more mainstream applications for digital print, and hopefully iterate the ROI of switching to fully digital. Smithers’ Digital Print for Packaging Conference (DPP) is the key place in the industry to have technical discussions around commercializing digital print for the packaging industry. FPA is a media partner for the event, and FPA members enjoy a 10% discount on the registration fee. Contact FPA for the discount code.

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Packed with first-hand experience, our high-level lineup of expert speakers will share their industry insights, best practices, and lessons learned throughout their e-commerce packaging journeys to provide invaluable market insights that help attendees to evaluate and optimize their own e-commerce packaging strategies. FPA is a media partner for the event, and FPA members enjoy a 10% discount on the registration fee. Contact FPA for the discount code.

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The Packaging Recycling Summit 2025, presented by Packaging World, brings together brands, materials suppliers, reprocessors, and materials recovery facilities (MRFs) to illuminate all facets of the circular supply chain. Discover the critical role of design and material selection for recyclability, and the importance of collaborating early in the design process. Engage in discussions on current legislation, brand innovations, and how collaborative efforts across the supply chain can build more resilient and sustainable business practices that benefit both the bottom line and the planet. FPA is a media partner for the event, and FPA members enjoy a 50% discount on the registration fee with this discount code: FPAMEMBER.

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