Good, Bad News On Corrugated

Published: September 01, 2010

BRUSSELS, BELGIUM | FEFCO (European Federation of Corrugated Board Mfrs.) released annual statistics of European manufacturers of corrugated packaging, reporting that 2009 showed an overall decrease in volume of shipments of -4.9% sq m; in total 39 billion sq m were sold last year.

However, the report says indicators for 2010 show the corrugated industry is recovering. One major reason for this relatively good result is customer segmentation: 46.3% of all shipments go to the fast-moving consumer goods sectors, which are less dependent than others on industrial and overall economic development.

For more information visit www.fefco.org.

• TAPPI, Norcross, GA, awards the Corrugated Packaging Div. Lifetime Achievement Award to David A. Carlson, technical advisor to the Fibre Box Assn., Elk Grove Village, IL. Carlson is recognized for his contributions to the pulp and paper industry for more than 46 years and to the corrugated packaging division of TAPPI for the past 32 years. He has held positions with Container Corp. of America, Hoerner Waldorf, Champion Intl., Stone Container Corp., and Smurfit Stone Container Corp.

• American Forest & Paper Assoc., Washington, DC, reports June containerboard production increased 47,100 tons or 1.7% over June 2009. Total kraft paper shipments were 134.5 thousand tons, an increase of 10.7% compared to June 2009. Total boxboard production increased by 3.0% compared to June 2009.

• AWA Alexander Watson Assoc., Amsterdam, Netherlands, is publishing the Specialty Papers and Paperboards Global Sourcebook 2010. The study provides a detailed appraisal of the range and diversity of specialty papers, with particular emphasis on the changing structure of the business throughout the supply chain.

• Flower City Printing, Rochester, NY, adds capacity to its finishing capabilities with the installation of a 41-in. ECO 105 folder/gluer from Heidelberg, Kennesaw, GA. The machine can produce up to 50,000 lockbottom cartons/hr and can process lock- and double-wall boxes as well as four- and six-corner cartons.

• Heidelberg reports its Prinect Inspection Control inline print defect detection system has earned a 2010 InterTech Technology Award from the Printing Industries of America, Sewickley, PA.