Converter Clips
- Published: June 01, 2007, By Edited by Deborah Donberg Associate Managing Editor
Agreement in Overt Security
MILWAUKEE, WI — Brady Corp. has signed a worldwide distribution agreement with Nanoventions, Alpharetta, GA, to develop product ID and anti-counterfeiting security products using Nanoventions' Unison micro-optic security film.
Scott Hoffman, Brady's senior VP of global die-cut operations, says Nanoventions' technology represents the next generation of overt security. “The benefit of using overt authentication in products or materials subject to counterfeiting is that the consumer can easily validate the authenticity.”
Dow Acquires Bayer Business Group
MIDLAND, MI — The Dow Chemical Co. and the Bayer Group have reached agreement for Dow to acquire Bayer's Wolff Walsrode business group, involved primarily in cellulose products.
According to Dow's chairman and CEO Andrew Liveris, “…the acquisition of Wolff Walsrode is another step along our path to maximize long-term shareholder value from investments into advantaged technologies, growing end-use markets, and emerging geographies.”
The acquisition will create a US$1 billion performance business for Dow,” says Romeo Kreinberg, Dow's executive VP for the Performance Plastics and Chemicals portfolio. “We will accelerate growth, ensure long-term supply, and offer a broad portfolio of differentiated solutions by expanding our collective expertise and capabilities.”
New Coex Line on Board
APPLETON, WI — Appleton's Performance Packaging Div. has added a new wide web coextrusion line to its Milton, WI, facility. The equipment can produce three-layer film with finished web widths to 106 in. wide and a 47-in. outer roll diameter. The expansion will add approximately 10 million lbs of annual extrusion capacity.
Tolas Now Part of Oracle
TULSA, OK — Oracle Packaging has acquired Tolas Healthcare Packaging, Feasterville, PA. Tolas converts medical-grade DuPont Tyvek, reinforced and surgical kraft papers, laminated and coextruded films, and multilayer foil construction for high-performance pharmaceutical and medical device packaging.
Tolas integrates with Oracle's eight manufacturing facilities, contributing a 50,000-sq-ft converting operation in suburban Philadelphia, PA, and a 20,000-sq-ft coating operation in suburban Cincinnati, OH.
Getting N.A. Distribution
GOSSAU, SWITZERLAND — Gietz has appointed Matik North America, West Hartford, CT, as exclusive distributor in North America for its Swiss-made line of sheet and web foil stamping machines. Reportedly, the cooperation between Gietz and Matik reflects the great importance of the North American market for Gietz equipment and the support offered through American-based parts and service availability.
Security Acquisition Reported
CINCINNATI, OH — Ampac Packaging has acquired Sealed Air Corp.'s Trigon Security Products business and related assets in North America and Europe.
The acquisition, which includes the purchase of assets from operations in Kent, WA, and Melbourn, UK, includes the KeepSafe Gold, Silver, and Bronze security bag product line. Operations from the Kent plant will be transferred to Ampac's primary manufacturing facility in Cincinnati and will operate under the company's Retail Packaging Group, headed by Chad Murdock, VP, retail sales.
Reifenhäuser a Preferred Supplier for Rotomec
SAN GIORGIO MONFERRATO, ITALY — Rotomec reports an agreement in which Reifenhäuser becomes a preferred supplier of extrusion equipment to be integrated in future Rotomec-produced extrusion coating and laminating lines.
A complete extrusion coating and laminating line will be installed and commissioned by the end of 2007 in Reifenhäuser's new technology center in Troisdorf, Germany. The line will feature the most advanced components and solutions from both Reifenhuäser (extruder, die, feedblock, carriages) and Rotomec (web handling, coating/laminating groups). It will be available for trial runs for the benefit of mutual customers.
A New Company Emerges
WILTON, CT — Momentive Performance Materials is a new company created by the sale of GE's Advanced Materials business to Apollo Management. The company will operate as one global entity focused on technology and service excellence in the silicones, quartz, and ceramics industries.
The former GE Advanced Materials management team, led by president and CEO Wayne Hewett, will continue in their roles following the $3.8 billion acquisition. Also part of Momentive Performance Materials are former joint ventures GE Bayer Silicones and GE Toshiba Silicones, their employees, and their management teams.
Sustainability Claims Questioned
ROCHESTER, MI — A new, independent life-cycle study commissioned by the Athena Inst. refutes some claims that have been made regarding sustainability and packaging, says The ULS Report.
The study examined the energy used, waste created, and greenhouse gas emissions generated by a number of common packages made from plastic, including drink cups, water bottles, and meat trays. Packages that were made from traditional plastics such as PET, PP, and PS were compared to the same packages made from polylactic acid (PLA), a plastic produced from corn rather than from petroleum. All process steps were studied, including the production of raw materials and continued through all processing, transportation, and fabrication.
Reportedly, the data show that packages weighing less often use less energy and produce less waste, regardless of whether they are made from petroleum or corn-based plastics.
Bob Lilienfeld, editor of The ULS Report, says, “…It's like the old paper vs. plastic debate. In the end, the package that weighs less is usually the best choice for the wallet and the environment.
For more information visit www.use-less-stuff.com.
Volm Acquires Columbia
ANTIGO, WI — Volm Companies has completed the acquisition of all assets of Columbia Packaging and Distribution for an undisclosed amount.
“Columbia has been a valued distributor for Volm in the Washington, Oregon, and northern California region for many years,” says Benjamin Feinn, CEO of Volm. “The Columbia operation will be rolled directly into Volm. Columbia will not be a separate company operated by Volm but…will operate as part of Volm Companies.…”
Volm's principal business is supplying various forms of packaging, both internally manufactured and purchased, to the fresh produce industry.
M&A Activity Continues Strong
CHICAGO, IL — The M&A environment in the packaging industry remained very strong in 2006, reports BMO Capital Markets. This continues a positive trend over the last several years, with both strategic and private equity acquirers active during the year. In 2006 there were 352 announced transactions in the packaging industry, representing a 6% increase in deal volume over 2005; deal volume in 2006 reached the highest level since before 2001; and reported deal value in 2006 was $13.7 billion for the 124 transactions with announced values.
For more information visit www.bmocm.com/publications/theconverter or contact Doug Lawson at 312/461-5471.
Erema Headquarters Expands
IPSWICH, MA — Erema reports an expansion of the company's international headquarters in Linz, Austria. The expansion includes approximately 22,000 sq ft of production space, including a high-bay warehouse and about the same amount of new space for offices.
The expansion was celebrated at an open house in May that featured equipment demonstrations including a complete Vacurema bottle-to-bottle pelletizing system with a production capacity of 20,000 tons/year.
Lohmann Reports New Space
NEUWIED, GERMANY — Lohmann Corp. reports its subsidiary Lohmann Specialty Coating LLC, Orange, VA, has expanded its existing facility by 25,000 sq ft of office and warehouse space in a project costing approximately $2 million.
The expansion will be used to support the transfer of production of a wide range of products currently being made at Lohmann's plant in Germany, while supporting the Lohmann Group's penetration into the medical/specialty coating markets.
New Phase of Growth at Teknek
GLASGOW, SCOTLAND — Teknek reports an expansion at its headquarters as the next phase of growth. Chairman and founder Jonathan Kennett says the company will expand capacity and capability as well as add a campus facility to enable key suppliers to locate on the same site.
Teknek, which specializes in contact cleaning technology, also plans to work with a number of partners to develop new sectors and segments.
New Laboratory Tests Load Cells
GORHAM, ME — The Montalvo Corp. has a new lab that can test customer load cells as well as those the company manufactures. Set-up time is reduced, and if a value is out of range, the technician can run the test again without having to re-enter all the data.
The facility replaces an older one and reportedly not only can record and store information about load cells but also can provide the customer with quicker feedback and analysis.
Acquiring Existing Technology
MCHENRY, IL — Jessup Mfg. Co., a manufacturer of non-slip and photoluminescent technology, has completed the acquisition of General Vy-Coat's PVC photoluminescent manufacturing technology and assets.
Michael Meegan, senior VP of sales and marketing for Jessup, explains, “Acquiring existing manufacturing knowledge is the quickest way for us to enter the market for photoluminescent cast PVC films.…”
Williamson Distributing for DuPont in Canada
WILMINGTON, DE — DuPont Packaging Graphics reports Williamson Printing Materials, Grimsby, ON, Canada, is distributing DuPont's full line of flexographic products in Canada. Williamson has been serving the Canadian flexo market for almost 55 years and has a full-capacity engineering department.
Bob Zoell, North American Packaging Graphics sales director for DuPont, says, “We put a lot of thought into how we could enhance our support to the flexographic industry in Canada, and we are thrilled that Williamson chose to join DuPont.”
Simple & Efficient
As an upgrade to an older line, the XP Express rollstand from Davis-Standard has helped Crawford Industries, based in Crawfordsville, IN, increase outputs on an extrusion line by 120%.
“The simplicity and efficiency of this machine is impressive,” says John Nowotarski, plant manager at Crawford's Thomasville, GA, facility. “It runs off a touchscreen and has outstanding capabilities for fast roll changes and production of thin-gauge sheet.”
He adds, “…the installation was one of the easiest I've experienced in years. We were up and running within a week.”
The rollstand, which was customized to include a cooling fan and an offset top roll, is being used to process PP and PE thin-gauge sheet with a thickness range from 0.01-0.045 in.
Crawford is a long-time Davis-Standard customer, and Nowotarski reports, “They always supply exactly what I need. We will definitely look at purchasing more of these machines for future upgrades.”
Supplier Information:
Davis-Standard — PFFC-ASAP 320. www.davis-standard.com
Repelletizer Saves Energy
Apollo Plastics Corp., Jersey City, NJ, chose the Omega Series Model 90 repelletizing system from Precision AirConvey to boost the throughput and reduce the operating costs of its PE reprocessing system.
The model has throughputs to 660 lbs/hr and is powered by an extruder motor of 120 hp. Apollo's previous system was powered by a 500-hp motor that reportedly used a great deal of electricity yet yielded slower throughputs.
Supplier Information:
Precision AirConvey — PFFC-ASAP 321. www.airconvey.com
