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News | New Products
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NeuDrive Acquires Portfolio from CPI Innovation Services
Acquisition includes organic semiconducting material patents and FlexOS trademark, plus licenses relating to organic thin-film transistor technology
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Spartanics Launches Laser Die-Cutting Module
The X-350 laser die-cutting module can be integrated with converting solutions from Smag Graphique
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Green Bay Packaging Wausau Celebrates 50th Anniversary
Manufacturer of corrugated containers, displays, and more sells to many industries and reportedly has a history of innovation in packaging
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Color-Logic Issues Certification to Epson
Company has certified the Epson SurePress L-4033AW with iSi MaxPrint RIP supports file formats required to produce the Process Metallic Color System
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Glenroy Acquires PF Flexibles
The acquisition is expected to allow Glenroy to provide customers with high-quality stand-up pouches
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Cortec Corrosion Inhibiting Films Are Made to Order
EcoCortec VpCI films and bags, available in custom sizes and shapes, are said to offer strong protection for metal parts
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FTA Announces Custom Branded Book Program
Program allows companies to personalize FTA books with their logos as gifts to customers, prospects, etc.
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Visit Kelly on Static from Static control expert Dr. Kelly Robinson, president of Electrostatic Answers; Kelly has 27+ years of experience in problem-solving and consulting.
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Visit Mark's Coating Matters from fluid coating expert Mark D. Miller; Process improvement and project management for precision roll-to-roll coating applications.
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Visit Marketing Mojo for dynamic marketing insights from Stephanie Millman that inspire new ideas on how to stay on top of your customer’s mind.
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Visit Yo’s Yarns to share the thoughts, impressions, experiences, and news that impact the converting industry. . . or anything else that happens to be on her mind!
Visit Tom's Poly Ploys, where Tom will be writing on various topics that the typical polymer processor would encounter on the job.
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Conflicting Perceptions over Paper Industry Growth
- July 16, 2013
It appears there are some conflicting opinions about whether the paper industry is shrinking or growing at a fairly healthy pace–not just in Wisconsin where the paper industry continues to thrive, but in the whole of the US which increased exports to the world by 24.3% from 2009 to 2011.
My friend and colleague Dr. Dene Taylor of SPF-Inc. (and author of PFFC's "On Print" column) shared a link with me for an opinion piece by Jeff Landin, president of the Wisconsin Paper Council, that I now offer to you by clicking here.
Landin remarks that Wisconsin accounts for 3.7% of US total exports in the paper manufacturing sub-sector, and it "experienced the fastest growth rate, 43.7% since 2009" among Wisconsin's eight competitor states. Not bad.
Yet Landin says a study by the Wisconsin Economic Development Corp. (WEDC) claims that the state's "reliance on manufacturing, and specifically the paper industry, has led to a slow growth economy."
Seems odd that while Wisconsin has been the leading state in the US for producing paper, the WEDC is simultaneously accusing its own paper industry as the culprit for dragging down the state's economy. How can it be both?
Perhaps what maddens Landin most is how little policymakers know about the paper industry. . . but quite honestly, for the most part, what do policymakers know about any industry? I guess they know about as much as they need to know in order to win corporate favor when elections come rolling along.
I do take issue, however, with Landin's comment about policy-makers not piling on environmental regulations that have "significant cost but no benefit." Now I don't see the benefit of regulating for the pure sake of regulating. But let's face it, a lot of what the converting industry does, including that of the paper-making business, is frequently not all that clean, and there certainly can be some benefits resulting from environmental regulations.
True, such regulation typically involves monetary investment, but at what price is the good health of any state's population worth sacrificing at the expense of corporate profits?
There ought to be some balance in all this.
Take a look at Landin's commentary. It's thought-provoking on many levels.
My friends call me. . .
Yo