DuPont
successfully reduces environmental footprint
DuPont Packaging Graphics has released a report indicating a
significant non-renewable energy and greenhouse gas emission reduction from use
of its Cyrel flexographic print and thermal platemaking processes. The report
contains results from two life-cycle assessment (LCA) studies comparing the
environmental footprints of flexo printing to gravure printing and the
footprint of thermal platemaking to that of solvent platemaking for flexo.
The report found that, in simple terms, for every 1 million
square meters of printed plastic substrate switched from gravure to flexo, the
resulting savings in non-renewable energy would equate to 25,000 gallons of
gasoline, or the equivalent of taking 40 U.S. passenger cars off the road
for one year.
Similarly, the transition from solvent platemaking to
thermal imaging led to a 60% reduction of non-renewable energy. To put that in
perspective, for every 10,000 square meters of flexo plates imaged, the energy
savings would be equivalent to approximately 8,800 gallons of gasoline or
taking 16 U.S.
passenger cars off the road for a year.
DuPont
Packaging Graphics
800-441-7515; www2.dupont.com/Packaging_and_Graphic_Arts/en_US/
Chema
Technology awarded PLGA award
Chema Technology was awarded the Packaging and Label Gravure
Assocation’s (PLGA) 2008 Global Technical Achievement Award on Oct. 9, 2008.
President and founder of Chema Technology, Hubert Metzger, accepted the award
given for his company’s Copper Striking System. Chema’s process eliminates
uneven coatings and the risk of blistering after acid copper plating in a
controllable process with a solid bonding to the polymer substrate. The system
also offers the gravure industry savings by existing cylinders and building up the circumference
with polymer, helping sustainability and material costs.
Chema
Technology
262-524-8006; www.chematechnology.com
Mark Andy
Inc. sold to MAI Holdings
Mark Andy Inc., designer of narrow and mid-web printing
equipment an ultraviolet (UV) curing systems, was purchased Oct. 8 by newly formed
MAI Holdings, held by American Industrial Partners Capital Fund IV L.P. While
management and operational structure of Mark Andy will not change, the
transaction puts the company in a better position to meet industry demands and
foster continued growth, especially in markets such as India, China and eastern Europe.
Kiefel
consolidates North American offices
Kiefel announced effective Nov. 1, 2008, its two North
American business units are now located at the Kiefel Technologies Inc.
headquarters in Hampton, N.H. The Kiefel Inc. offices and employees
formerly in Wrentham, Mass.,
relocated to Hampton,
some 40 miles away.
Macchi executive
killed in Italy
Alessandro Macchi, managing director at Macchi S.p.A., died
Nov. 2 after being shot four times at his home near Genoa, Italy.
Italian investigators are treating Macchi’s death as a homicide-attempted
suicide plot and have arrested Macchi’s companion on first-degree charges.
Macchi was 46.
EskoArtwork
ArtPro 9.0 deemed successful
EskoArtwork announced in October 2008 that ArtPro 9.0 has
met with tremendous customer approval after 75% of ArtPro 8.0 users upgraded to
the new release within one week of the product’s launch. The newest version of
ArtPro, considered the standard in packaging prepress, offers improved workflow
solutions with other EskoArtwork products, namely Nexus, Odystar and BackStage.
Sun Chemical
forms joint venture in China
Sun Chemical and parent company DIC Corp. (formerly
Dainippon Ink & Chemicals) have partnered with China-based pigment
manufacturer Lianyungang Haidi Chemicals Co. Ltd. to manufacture high-performance
pigments, which will be sold through DIC Corp. and Sun Chemical’s global
network. The joint venture will be named Lianyungang DIC Color Co. Ltd.
Davis-Standard
opens northeast office
Davis-Standard announced in October the opening of an office
in Gloucester, Mass. The new workplace increases the
company’s presence in the northeast, and increases the capabilities of its
Extrusion Systems and Converting Systems groups. As part of the expansion in
the northeast, Davis-Standard announced Ken Sweet joined the company in the new
facility as Engineering Manager–Northeast.
Toyo Ink
opens new plant in Texas
Toyo Ink Manufacturing America opened a $20 million,
55,000-square-foot specialty polymer manufacturing plant in Bryan, Texas,
on Oct. 15, 2008. After breaking ground on the 22-acre site a year previous,
the company celebrated the opening of the new facility with a traditional
Shinto ceremony. The plant, a significant step toward bolstering Toyo’s
presence in the U.S.
and also in flexible packaging, includes two production plants, a warehouse and
an administrative office and employs 15 people with plans to add more.
Jemmco
expands website, adds online buying
Mequon, Wis.-based Jemmco now
offers customers the opportunity to purchase select products online through its
website, www.jemmco.com. After registering contact and billing information,
customers may purchase anti-static and cleaning products, corona treater roll
coverings, dyne pens and solutions, silicone treater sleeves, web cleaning
sleeves, traction sleeves, and traction and release tapes using a credit card.
HP opens
Indigo distribution center
Hewlett-Packard began operations at its new West Coast HP
Indigo distribution center in Hayward,
Calif., on Nov. 1, 2008. The state-of-the-art,
strategically placed location will reduce delivery times from East Coast
distribution centers and enables West Coast customers to place orders for
same-day processing until 5 p.m. Pacific time. The Hayward
location is HP’s third Indigo distribution center in North America and
complements its Chicago and Toronto counterparts.
AlliedFlex
adds national account manager
AlliedFlex Technologies Inc. of Sarasota, Fla.,
has added David Hull to its Sales and Marketing team as National Accounts
Manager. Hull
brings years of flexible packaging sales and marketing experience from previous
positions with T.H.E.M., Hosokawa Yoko and Olmarc Packaging.
Gerhardt
appoints new North American managers
Dallastown, Pa.-based cutting
tool maker Gerhardt has named Ian Bates as the company’s group executive vice president
and promoted Jim Doedderlein to vice president of sales, North
America. Bates will lead the way in introducing North America
converters to the benefits of flexible die technology, a method that’s largely
been seen only in Europe. Doedderlein will
manage all North American sales functions and will continue to expand
Gerhardt’s continental market share.
PIA/GATF
announces 2009 officers and board
The Printing Industries of America/Graphic Arts Technical
Foundation (PIA/GATF) introduced its 2009 officers and board of directors at
its fall administrative meeting Nov. 16, 2008. Ken Kaufman, president of
Omniprint Inc. of Lanham, Md., will serve as board chairman; Bill
Gibson has taken the role of first vice chairman; Michael Keene, president and chief
executive officer (CEO) of The John Roberts Co. in Minneapolis, Minn., was
named second vice chairman; Laura Lawton-Forsyth of Lawton Printing Inc. in
Spokane, Wash., will serve as the board’s secretary; Hal Slager from Trico
Graphics Inc. in Chicago will remain treasurer; and Janet Green, CEO of Greens
Inc. in Irvine, Calif., the first female chairman of the PIA/GATF board, has
become immediate past chairman.
Supplier News - January 2009
January 13, 2009
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