Advancing Flexible Packaging & Sustainability
2009 FPA Flexible Packaging Internship & Academic Scholarship Program
Show Your Company's Best!

Advancing Flexible Packaging & Sustainability

Recently, the Flexible Packaging Association held its annual Fall Executive Conference at The Ritz Carlton Hotel in Chicago. The one-day conference included presentations from David Hale, a global economic advisor, Doug Lawson of BMO Capital Markets, Dorothy Coleman of the National Association of Manufacturers (NAM), Nick Vafiadis of Chemical Market Associates Inc., Dr. Keith Vorst of California Polytechnic State University, and an update on legislation impacting the flexible packaging industry.

Special thanks are given to DuPont Packaging and Industrial Polymers, Flint Group, P&O Packaging LLC, Pliant Corp., NOVA Chemicals Inc. and Tredegar Film Products for their sponsorship of the 2009 FEC Networking Events.

FPA Flexible Packaging Sustainability Education Campaign

The 2009 Fall Executive Conference also included the introduction of several new elements to the FPA Flexible Packaging Sustainability Education Campaign. Launched in 2007, the campaign has assisted the flexible packaging industry in communicating the sustainable benefits of flexible packaging to customers, legislators, regulators, retailers, brand owners, and opinion influencers. The new elements include:

• Flexible Packaging Sustainability Logo – FPA redesigned its long-standing "Source Reduction: Less Waste in the First Place" logo to evolve and incorporate a specific message that envelops the major sustainable attributes including Less Resources, Less Footprint and More Value.

• Flexible Packaging “Pocket Facts” Brochure – A small and informational brochure that quickly details the sustainable advantages of flexible packaging through manufacturing, distribution and use.

• Flexible Packaging Case Study Brochure and Web site – Updated and redesigned brochure provides an overview of the advantages of using various flexible packaging formats, and includes additional data and information on flexible packaging energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions. FPA will also post all the case studies featured in the original and updated brochures on the FPA website. Additional case studies will be added as data and information become available.

• Video on Sustainable Benefits of Flexible Packaging – Produced by FPA, the short video provides an entertaining – and educational - outlook on the important impact flexible packaging has on sustainability.

• Flexible Packaging: A Sustainable Solution – An in-depth PowerPoint presentation developed by FPA and the Sustainability Marketing Task Group to assist FPA members and non-members educate key audiences on the favorable contributions of flexible packaging to the sustainability movement.

• FPA Sustainability Primer Series – A comprehensive guide that details the sustainable attributes, energy consumption, and end-of-life options for flexible packaging.

You can view and learn more about the FPA Flexible Packaging Sustainability Education campaign and these elements by visitingwww.flexpack.org.

2009 FPA Flexible Packaging Internship & Academic Scholarship Program

Scholarships totaling $15,000 awarded to industry interns

This summer, the Flexible Packaging Association awarded $15,000 in academic scholarships to deserving students currently enrolled in packaging and printing school programs. Students Ryan Rovito of Rochester Institute of Technology; Brian Diefenbach, Christy Root, and Chelsea Wilson of Western Michigan University; and Chetan Joshi of Pittsburg State University, each participated in an enriching summer internship with several FPA converter members, including: American Packaging Corporation, CL&D Graphics Inc., Constantia Hueck Foils LLC, Pliant Corp. and Technipaq Inc.

Since 2005, the FPA Flexible Packaging Internship & Academic Scholarship Program has provided hands-on internships, encouraged students pursue careers within the flexible packaging industry, and awarded more than $60,000 in academic scholarships.

“A Great Appreciation”

Christy Root, an imaging major and summer intern at American Packaging Corp., noted that she “learned to appreciate the amount of engineering that goes into developing and manufacturing a flexible package.” During her internship, Christy participated in the completion of a number of projects including observing run trials, reviewing color keys and proofs, and drafting training material for new equipment.

“I have a greater understanding of the flexible packaging industry,” said Ryan Rovito, a packaging science major, who completed his summer internship with Pliant Corp. Ryan expressed that the internship went “beyond his expectations” and he remained “thoroughly challenged” as he worked on a number of projects including productivity optimization, sales/technical support, and depth sample analysis.

“Freedom to Explore”

Chelsea Wilson, an imaging and printing major at Western Michigan University and summer intern at CL&D Graphic, noted that the best aspect of her internship was the “freedom to explore a variety of disciplines at CL&D Graphic.” Chelsea explained that through her summer internship she applied her academic knowledge in packaging graphics to various projects she completed including graphic/art file set-up, and research and design.

Chetan Joshi, a printing management graduate student at Pittsburg State University, sought to gain a solid understanding of the daily operations of a flexible packaging company and obtain hands-on exposure to the converting process, through his internship with Technipaq Inc. “I was provided with all the resources and technical support to work on important projects that have allowed me to accomplish that goal. I am confident that this experience will assist me in securing a career within the flexible packaging industry,” said Chetan.

Brian Diefenbach, also and imaging major at Western Michigan University, completed, as he described a “rewarding” internship with Constantia Hueck Foils LLC. Brian gained direct experience in “creating and testing ink formulas” and “writing several new Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for the ink room.

Show Your Company's Best!

Flexible packaging is used to preserve and protect products, increase consumer convenience and improve product distribution. Advancements within the flexible packaging industry include diverse applications, material enhancements, environmental benefits and design improvements.

FPA's Flexible Packaging Achievement Awards competition recognizes the exceptional and rapid growth of the flexible packaging industry, while providing a great platform for flexible packaging converters and suppliers to showcase their most innovative flexible packages that are adding significant value to numerous products.

FPA encourages your company to enter the 2010 Flexible Packaging Achievement Awards competition and show your company at its best! The entry deadline is Monday, Nov. 23, 2009. The winning entries will be announced during the 2010 FPA Annual Meeting, March 10-12, at the Waldorf-Astoria in Orlando, Fla.

Winning entries are recognized in various domestic and international trade publications. FPA also publishes the Flexible Packaging Achievement Awards & Innovation Showcase-a full color publication that includes photos and descriptions about all the entries and winning packages, and provides details about package manufacturers, end users/customers, designers and key suppliers.

In addition to the Achievement Awards competition, FPA sponsors the Student Flexible Packaging Design Challenge. Now entering its sixth year, the highly successful Student Design Competition is a great opportunity for students currently enrolled in a packaging, design, food science, engineering or related discipline to develop a flexible package solution that addresses a packaging issue, such as consumer convenience or the protection of food. The deadline to submit a concept outline is Oct. 2, 2009, and the submission deadline for prototypes/bench samples is Nov. 23, 2009.

The Call for Entries for the 2010 Flexible Packaging Achievement Awards are now available at www.flexpack.org. For more information, contact FPA at (410) 694-0800.