Converting Industry News, Part 2
- Published: January 31, 2005, By Edited by Deborah Donberg
Part 1 | Part 2
Covering the Full Spectrum of Industry News, Events & Activities
CONFERENCES
Nonwovens Event Well Attended
BRUSSELS, BELGIUM—EDANA, The European Disposables and Nonwovens Assn., reports its Personal Care Products Conference, designated OUTLOOK, was a major success. Held in Monaco September 29–October 1, the conference (the third to date) attracted 295 executives from 24 countries representing about 130 different companies.
The program included 13 presentations on topics such as global business; growth opportunities in Central and Eastern Europe, Middle East, and Africa; waste treatment; patents; nano-particles; and more.
For more information on this and future EDANA events, visit edana.org.
Forum, Exhibit to Celebrate Flexo
RONKONKOMA, NY—The Foundation of Flexographic Technical Assn. (FFTA) reports "The Wonderful World of Flexo" will be coming to the Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin Hotel in Orlando, FL, March 20–23.
Forum session topics will include prepress, inks and coatings, business and procurement, corrugated/preprint, flexible packaging, paperboard, tags and labels, and more. Results of the annual competition will be announced at a banquet on Sunday night, March 20.
The FFTA Annual Forum again will be accompanied by the Info-Flex exhibition, scheduled for March 20–21. At least 120 exhibitors have signed up for Info-Flex.
For more information contact FFTA at 31/737-6020 or visit flexography.org.
SUPPLIER NEWS
PCMC Sales Surge
GREEN BAY, WI—Paper Converting Machine Co. (PCMC) reports an unprecedented surge in orders for its flexographic printing press equipment. Ten presses have been ordered, PCMC says, with a sales value in excess of $29 million.
The orders include the first placement of an Infiniti ten-color, CI, flexo press in continental Europe. One press is going to Peru, and the rest were bought by US companies.
Bobst Signs Distributor ROSELAND, NJ—Bobst Group USA has entered into a distributor agreement with Advanced Die Supplies, Santa Fe Springs, CA, and Conyers, GA. Advanced Die will serve as a primary supplier for die-cutting and die-making components for Bobst equipment.
BOPP Supplier Now Serves US
LIMA, PERU̵OPP Film, a BOPP film supplier active in Latin America, now is offering its services to US converters. Products range from white cavitated to high-barrier metallized films. Variations include designs for high- and extra-high-speed packaging, flower wrapping, and laminations.
The company, which serves small and medium-sized converters, reports all of its products comply with FDA regulations for food contact and it expects to be AIB-certified by March 2005.
CAC Adds Another Lathe
WIND GAP, PA—Converter Accessory Corp. (CAC) has upgraded production capabilities with the purchase of its third computer-controlled Clausing/METOSA CNC2080 lathe.
The lathe will be used in production of CAC’s patented WrinkleSTOP and Multi-Adjust WrinkleSTOP linear, smooth surface, anti-wrinkle rolls; FOX TrimAway pneumatic trim, matrix, and waste-removal systems; patented Cor-Lok airshafts and chucks; and the new pinch point free Shaft-LOK safety chuck.
ANI Issues an Alert on Shortage
PLYMOUTH, MN—ANI Printing Inks reports a drastic shortage of acrylic acid, one of the key base raw materials used to produce binders for UV and water-based inks.
"Metal prices are affecting some key raw materials, oil prices are affecting in principle every single organic component used, energy and transportation costs are another part directly affected by the oil price, and styrene costs are affecting the cost of acrylic resins," says Leif Svensson, corporate purchasing director of ANI. "The acrylic acid situation throws everything on the binder side into a historical situation of potential turmoil."
ANI global technical director David Helsby describes some pro-active steps ANI is taking to secure its supply chain, including long-term partnerships with suppliers; full utilization of global network; technical innovations and process enhancements; and competitive sourcing of alternative solutions. He adds, however, that the whole supply chain of printed goods has to address this problem as one industry.
In other news, funds managed by CVC Capital Partners have acquired both ANI and BASF Printing Systems and merged the two under the CVC umbrella. The merged business will be headquartered in Stuttgart, Germany. The takeover of ANI and the subsequent merger are subject to regulatory approval.
Presstek Purchases A.B.Dick Co.
HUDSON, NH—Presstek announced it has closed on the purchase of A.B.Dick Co. The closing price is approximately $40 million and will be paid in cash, reports Presstek’s CFO Moosa E. Moosa.
A.B.Dick filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in July 2004, at which time Presstek entered into an asset purchase agreement with the company pursuant to which Presstek would acquire the business and assets of A.B.Dick through the US Bankruptcy Code Section 363 asset sale provisions.
Company Debuts
CALEDON EAST, ON, CANADA—Jim Waslowski has founded Flex Solutions for Canadian flex-pack producers. It will offer engineering design, equipment building, and consulting services for retrofitting existing blown film lines.
New equipment includes Macchi Extrusion Technologies, blown and cast film lines; Doteco, gravimetric blending and yield control of resin; Ferrarini and Benelli, treater stations; FMS, edge guides and load cell tension control; and Euro Chiller, direct Freon to air blown film cooling systems.
Kampf and Ion Partner
Kampf GmbH & Co., Windsor, CT, and Ion Industrial, Windsor Locks, CT, are partnering to offer Kampf slitter/ rewinders with Ion’s Virtual AC static neutralizer as standard equipment. The unit is said to neutralize static charge on webs running at speeds to 3,900 fpm. Above: a three-bar Virtual AC system is installed at the rewinder on the Kampf 9-m primary slitter.
EDUCATION
Gifts for Cal Poly Press
SAN LUIS OBISPO, CA—The flexo press at California Polytechnic State Univ.’s Graphic Communication Dept. is sporting a $75,000 upgrade. Mark Andy donated two print stations, making the press an eight-unit model, and gave a lamination/cold foil unit. Mark Andy sub. UV Technology gave a single-lamp UV curing system; I.Kela Co. added a rotary hot-foil system; and Simco Industrial Static Control added an Ion-O-Vac Mark I double-sided web cleaner.
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