The U.S. workforce is still recovering from the COVID-19 pandemic and widespread shifts to remote- and hybrid-work models, which does not work well for manufacturing jobs that require skilled, hands-on engagement.
Read MoreIssues
Parent category for issues. Issues should be in format MM_MM_YY
2023 Shaping up to be Odd Year for State Packaging Laws
July/Aug 2023
The year 2023 has proven to be a challenging one for keeping up with state legislative activity in the flexible packaging industry. At the year’s midpoint, it remains to be seen if new standards will be set.
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A Closer Look at David Love
Senior Vice President, Marketing and R&D, Printpack
July/Aug 2023
In this issue, we interview David Love, Printpack’s senior vice president of marketing and research and development. He is a member of the executive committee of the Flexible Packaging Association, as well.
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Hennepin Provides Real-World Experiences for Students
July/Aug 2023
We talk to Jeff Thorstad, a faculty member at Hennepin Technical College in Minnesota, about the program named Automation Robotics Engineering Technology.
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Providing Opportunity for Women
Flexible Packaging Leaders Discuss Their Careers and Opportunities for Women and Others
July/Aug 2023
Women running flexible packaging companies evangelize for the industry and its opportunities for people with talent and drive. And they agree that networking, the guidance of mentors, and the power of flexible packaging provide an open field for advancement and career fulfillment.
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Making the Business Case for DEI
Companies Say DEI Programs Promote Growth and Enhance Values
July/Aug 2023
Employers say they recognize a moral imperative for ensuring their workplaces are inclusive and welcoming. But they also have been swayed by research into the business benefits of diversity.
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Encouraging Diversity
An Interview With Kuma Roberts, Chief Diversity and Inclusion Officer at Arrowhead Consulting
July/Aug 2023
Creating opportunities instead of assuming they will happen is at the heart of Kuma Roberts’ work.
Read MoreDigital Exclusive
Key United Nations Report Outlines Food Waste and Packaging Issues
June 22, 2023
Hopefully, the report will help policy makers avoid following trends unsupported by scientific facts.
Read MoreDigital Exclusive
Webinar Explores Compostable and Hard-to-Recycle Packaging Issues
June 8, 2023
As compostable and hard-to-recycle packaging such as flexible packaging become more prevalent in the United States, extended producer responsibility programs will have to ensure a fair and equitable process.
Read MoreDigital Exclusive
Biden Administration Pushes Plans for Plastic Alternatives
The Goal is to Replace 90% of Plastics Within 20 Years
May 25, 2023
President Joe Biden’s administration continues to promote plans to use biotechnology and biomanufacturing to develop sustainable alternatives across industries, including fuels, medicines, and plastics, with plastics being largely displaced by 2043.
Read MoreDigital Exclusive
AMERIPEN EPR Series Continues With Looks at Producer Responsibility Organizations
May 11, 2023
As more states move toward extended producer responsibility laws, government officials should include industry representatives who will run the programs so fair fees can be assessed and to encourage flexibility after the systems are up and running, says Allen Langdon, CEO of Canada-based Circular Materials.
Read MoreDigital Exclusive
A Look Through 2023
Paul Harencak of LPS Industries Sees Economic Trends Continuing
May 2, 2023
The U.S. economy has proven more resilient than many expected through the early months of 2023, but challenges are still ahead. To get a sense of what they are, we spoke with Paul Harencak, vice president of LPS Industries, LLC in Moonachie, New Jersey.
Read MoreEducating on the Differences Between PFAs and PPAs
May/June 2023
Six states have adopted laws that focus on regulating the intentional use of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances in food packaging. The regulations, however, do not equate to a total ban on the use of PFAS, and the industry needs to do more to educate on the differences between PFAS and the fluoropolymers we use as polymer processing aids.
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Overview of FPA Flexible Packaging Achievement Awards Competition
May/June 2023
Since 1956, the Flexible Packaging Association has conducted the annual Flexible Packaging Achievement Awards Competition to showcase the industry’s innovation and the advances that have changed packaging.
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ELC Seminar Shows Where Each Player Fits In
May/June 2023
Organizers created a program that demonstrated what goes into producing a flexible package from start to finish along the supply chain. Each step requires every player to do his or her own part to ensure overall success.
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SPMC® Holds Sterile Packaging Day for 2023
May/June 2023
The Sterilization Packaging Manufacturers Council celebrated Sterile Packaging Day on February 8 with the theme of “Designed to Protect” to honor medical packaging engineers.
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‘Packaging Compass’ Survey Offers Sustainability Insights
May/June 2023
Recyclers often note that from the time one begins to plan for the development of a materials recovery facility, it takes an average of 10 years to complete. In that time, packaging can shift dramatically as converters and brands replace materials, develop new formats, and launch innovative technologies designed to make packaging more effective in its roles—and to be recyclable.
Read MoreGridlock Marks Start of 2023 on Capitol Hill
FPA Continues to Monitor Congress and Biden Administration
May/June 2023
The situation in Washington, D.C., as we enter late spring and early summer is pretty much what was anticipated—a Congress that has accomplished little of meaningful substance to date.
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Virginia Tech Develops Master’s Program in Sustainable Packaging
May/June 2023
We talk to Laszlo Horvath, an associate professor at Virginia Tech in Blacksburg, Virginia, who also serves as director of the Center for Packaging and Unit Load Design.
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A Closer Look at Kevin Keneally
President and CEO, PPC Flexible Packaging
May/June 2023
In this issue, we interview Kevin Keneally, president and CEO of PPC Flexible Packaging and a board member of the Flexible Packaging Association.
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