A WEALTH OF RESOURCES

FPA serves flexible packaging converters and suppliers to the industry by representing their interest to government, providing networking opportunities, promoting the value of their products, educating through industry specific programs and providing industry data.

To keep members abreast of industry challenges, opportunities and future issues, FPA publishes various financial benchmarking reports, market research publications, and safety and environmental reports. FPA also conducts annual events such as the Fall Executive Conference, the Safety Conference and Environmental Summit, and the Annual Meeting to provide FPA members with the opportunity to interact face-to-face, and exchange ideas, information and best practices.



2008 Fall Executive Conference

The FPA Fall Executive Conference will be held on Tues., Oct. 28, 2008, at The Drake Hotel in Chicago. During the conference, attendees will hear the results of FPA’s market research. FPA commissioned research and development company Battelle Memorial Institute to examine energy consumption and savings in manufacturing flexible packaging, and end-of-life hurdles and opportunities for flexible packaging focusing on waste-to-energy.

Patrick Traylor of Hogan and Hartson LLP will provide an overview of the “Cap and Trade Legislation” and discuss its impact on the flexible packaging industry. Ben Miyares of Packaging Machinery Manufacturers Institute (PMMI) will explore “Shift Paradigms—Sustainability, Total Cost of Ownership and the Packaging Manager.” He will also detail the forces that are changing and shaping the packaging industry, the demands of customers and how companies are responding to their evolving needs.

As the cost and availability of raw materials remains an important issue for the flexible packaging industry, attendees of the 2008 Fall Executive Conference will learn about the future cost and availability of resin and other important flexible packaging materials.

Special thanks are given to FlintGroup, Flint Hills Resources LLC, Liofol—A Div. of Henkel Corp. and Pliant Corp. for their support of the 2008 FPA Fall Executive Conference networking events.



2009 Safety Conference and Environmental Summit

FPA’s Safety Conference and Environ­mental Summit are the only events in the industry that focus on the safety and environmental issues that are important to flexible packaging converters and suppliers.

Open to FPA members and non-members, the Safety Conference and Environmental Summit will provide updates on current and future environmental legislation, and review strategies for maintaining safe plants and facilities. The events will include networking opportunities with and presentations from government agency representatives, including the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and the Occupa­tional Safety and Health Administration (OSHA).

These events will be from Jan. 21-23 at The TradeWinds Resort in St. Petersburg Beach, Florida. A preview of the agendas for both events follows within this issue of the FPA Update. FPA gives special thanks to the networking event sponsors of the 2009 Safety Conference and Environmental Summit: FlintGroup, Glenroy Inc., MEGTEC Systems and Sun Chemical Corp.

To learn more about these FPA conferences and meetings, and to register for the 2008 Fall Executive Conference, visit the FPA website, www.flexpack.org, or contact the association at 410-694-0800.

FPA ISSUES KEY BENCHMARKING REPORTS

2007 Fourth Quarter Earnings Report

The 2007 Fourth Quarter Earnings Report provides key financial information that allows flexible packaging converters to compare their operating/profitability performance against those of other converters in the flexible packaging industry. The Report includes industry data regarding summary level profit and loss (P&L) and expense data, which are broken down by company size (based on full year revenue) and primary manufacturing operation.

The 2007 Fourth Quarter Earnings Report contains composite results from the 2007 Fourth Quarter Survey, which is conducted through FPA’s Business and Economic Research Department. Survey responses were received from 49% of FPA converter members with estimated annualized sales of $4.4 billion. 



First Quarter 2008 Pulse of the Industry Report

Broad in scope, the First Quarter 2008 Pulse of the Industry Report provides a comparison of key factors over a short term (1st quarter 2008 versus 1st quarter 2007), and over a longer term (2006-2008) comparing the first quarter versus the same period of the prior year.

The Report includes the results of the First Quarter 2008 Pulse of the Industry Survey, which gathers performance data for net sales, volume, profitability, inventory levels, capital spending and capacity utilization for flexible packaging converters. In addition, information is included to examine expectations for sales and volume performance in the second quarter 2008 versus first quarter 2008.

Survey responses were received from 32 converter members with estimated revenue of approximately $8.7 billion (33% of flexible packaging industry sales). The First Quarter 2008 Pulse of the Industry Survey is conducted through the FPA Business and Economic Research Department.

As great benefits of membership, the 2007 Fourth Quarter Earnings Report and First Quarter 2008 Pulse of the Industry Report are only available to FPA members that participated in the corresponding report survey. 

For more information, contact Bob Zaborowski, director of business and economic research, at 410-694-0800 or bzaborowski@flexpack.org.

2009 ANNUAL MEETING

FPA members and guests will return to The Ritz Carlton in Naples, Florida, for the 59th Annual Meeting. Being held Feb. 25-27, 2009, the Annual Meeting will include exclusive social networking events, industry-specific general sessions, the Annual Meeting Golf Tournament, the Spouses and Guests program, the Welcome & Flexible Packaging Achievement Awards dinner and the Annual Meeting dinner. Additional information and registration materials will be available in the coming months.

For more information about these and other FPA programs and events, visit FPA at www.flexpack.org, or contact the association at 410-694-0800.

SNEAK PEEK: 2009 SAFETY CONFERENCE & ENVIRONMENTAL SUMMIT

SNEAK PEEK: 2009 SAFETY CONFERENCE & ENVIRONMENTAL SUMMIT

The 2009 FPA Safety Conference and Environmental Summit will be held Jan. 21-23, at The TradeWinds Resort in St. Petersburg Beach, Florida.

The conference and summit will focus on topics and issues important to the flexible packaging industry, and are open to environmental, health and safety managers and professionals at the corporate and plant levels. Both FPA members and non-members are welcome to attend.

The 2009 FPA Safety Conference and Environmental Summit will feature presentations from industry representatives, consultants and government agencies, including the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). Special thanks are given to the sponsors of the 2009 Safety Conference and Environmental Summit networking events: FlintGroup, Glenroy Inc., MEGTEC Systems and Sun Chemical Corp.

The agendas for the one-day Safety Conference (Jan. 21), and the two-day Environmental Summit (Jan. 22-23), are below. Registration materials will be available soon.

For more information, contact Ram Singhal, director of technical and regulatory affairs, at 410-694-0800 or rsinghal@flexpack.org.



2009 FPA Safety Conference

Wed., Jan. 21



7:30 a.m. – 8:00 Registration & Breakfast

8:00 – 8:15 Welcome & Opening Remarks

8:15 – 9:00 Combustible Dust

9:00 – 9:45 Nanotechnology: Applications & Health and Safety Concerns

9:45 – 10:00 Break

10:00 – 10:45 Property & Fire Protection

10:45 – 11:30 Handling Nonconductive Flammable Liquids (Case Study)

11:30 a.m – 12:45 p.m. Lunch sponsored by FlintGroup

12:45 – 1:30 Computer Based Audits/Inspections

1:30 – 2:30 Hoists and Roll Handlers Safety (Hazards, Inspections, Disposal, Design) & Manipulators

2:30 – 2:45 Break

2:45 – 3:30 Integrating LEAN Sigma Methods into Your Safety Program

3:30 – 4:30 Safe Practices in Converting Process Extrusion Coating Press

4:30 Closing Remarks & Adjourn

5:30 – 6:30  Reception sponsored by Glenroy Inc.



2009 FPA Environmental Summit

Thurs., Jan. 22



7:45 a.m. – 8:15 Registration & Breakfast

8:15 – 8:30 Welcome & Opening Remarks

8:30 – 9:30 Managing Energy Use/Consumption (Case Studies and Panel Discussion)

9:30 – 10:15 Renewable Energy using Landfill Gases

(Case Study)

10:15 – 10:30 Break

10:30 – 11:15 The REACH Implementation & Update

11:15 – 12:00 p.m. Nanotechnology in Packaging

12:00 – 1:15 Lunch sponsored by Sun Chemical Corp.

1:15 – 2:00 Greenhouse Gas Emissions Reporting

2:00 – 2:45 FTC: Environmental Marketing Claims (The Green Guides and packaging)

2:45 – 3:00 Break

3:00 – 3:45 EPA’s Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) Reform

3:45 – 4:30 EPA’s Spill Prevention Control and Countermeasures (SPCC) Update including Self Certification and Threshold Levels for Resins/Waxes

5:30 – 6:30 Reception sponsored by MEGTEC Systems



2009 FPA Environmental Summit

Fri., Jan. 23



7:30 a.m. – 8:00 Breakfast

8:00 – 8:45 EPA Priorities including Greenhouse Gas Legislation & Transition

8:45 – 9:30 Sustainability: FPA’s Strategic Plan

9:30 – 9:45 Break

9:45 – 10:45 Solid Waste Resources Management

10:45 – 11:30 FPA Committees’ Wrap up: Progress Report

11:30 Closing Remarks & Adjourn

12:00 p.m. Golf Tournament