PACKAGING BRIEFS Thursday, May 5

ConAgra Foods' proposed $4.9 billion merger with Ralcorp Holdings is rejected by Ralcorp's board
ConAgra Foods Inc. has offered to acquire Ralcorp for $86 per share in cash, or approximately $4.9 billion, plus the assumption of $2.5 billion in debt. But the offer has been rejected by the board of directors at Ralcorp Holdings. The proposed transaction would expand ConAgra Foods' presence in the fast-growing private label segment and create the No. 3 U.S. packaged food company, focused on delivering value to customers across both branded and private label.

Intelligrated opens new Alvey robotics lab in St. Louis
Intelligrated, a leading North American-owned automated material handling solutions provider, announces the opening of the Alvey Robotics Lab at its St. Louis, MO., engineering and manufacturing facility. The 5,050-square-foot research and development lab will focus on conceptions and applying new robotic innovations for packaging and material handling, as well as offer customers access to equipment testing and demonstrations prior to installation. The new Alvey Robotics Lab will also provide educational opportunities for local students and universities.

Wisdom Adhesives adds R&D center to expanded corporate campus
Wisdom Adhesives—North America's top mid-size manufacturer of high performance, environmentally safe industrial adhesives—continues to grow in size and scope. The company recently acquired a building with plans to create a new center to house the Wisdom Adhesives Research and Development department. The new Wisdom Adhesives Research and Development Center is an extension of Wisdom's main campus, with its corporate headquarters and manufacturing facility located in Elgin, IL. Wisdom Adhesives manufactures water-based, dextrin and protein adhesives and includes hot-melt capabilities that produce hot-chip and other specialty products.

Winpak Portion Packaging to expand, with incentives from Illinois
Governor Pat Quinn announced on May 4, 2011, that the state is providing a business investment package to Winpak Portion Packaging Inc., a leading multi-national packaging manufacturing company. The investment will help the company to build a state-of-the-art manufacturing facility in Sauk Village, IL, creating 40 jobs immediately and potentially more in the future. Winpak Portion Packaging Inc. currently operates a manufacturing facility in South Chicago Heights, which employs approximately 200 people and produces plastic cups and trays for food and beverages, as well as other packaging. The state's $1.6 million investment package leverages $30 million that the company will invest for land, building and equipment for the new facility. The Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO) is administering the state's business investment package, which consists of Economic Development for a Growing Economy (EDGE) tax credits based on job creation, and Employer Training Investment Program job training funds that will help enhance the skills of the company's workforce. The company is also eligible to receive additional state and local incentives for being located in an Enterprise Zone.

Paperboard Packaging Council members distributed 8,400 saplings in student educational program
During the week of Earth Day, April 18-22, 2011, 18 member companies of the Paperboard Packaging Council (PPC) distributed more than 8,400 saplings to students and employees through TICCIT ("Trees Into Cartons, Cartons Into Trees"). This is a national educational program sponsored by PPC that promotes planting trees in recycled milk cartons as a way to highlight the importance of recycling and the sustainable nature of paper-based packaging. As part of TICCIT, program volunteers show the students how to plant saplings-most of which were purchased at a discount from the Arbor Day Foundation-in recycled milk cartons that are collected from the school's cafeteria or brought in from home. The children then learn how to transfer the saplings in these biodegradable cartons to a local park or backyard. Once grown, the trees can restore areas that have been damaged by fire or disease; provide a natural and beautiful way to cool one's home, school, or workplace in the summer; and in the winter, mitigate powerful wind gusts. The 8,400 saplings distributed in 2011 represent a 60 percent increase from last year's 5,200 saplings.

Label Technology wins Best of Show flexography award
Label Technology Inc. has been awarded the Best of Show and a Gold award in the Mid Web category for Excellence in Flexography at the Foundation of Flexographic Technical Association's 2011 Forum. The winning entry was for a John Frieda Frizz Ease Overnight Repair packette. The process project used 175 line screen technology, water-based inks on a metallized structure and tight registration.

OCS Checkweighers launches upgraded website
OCS Checkweighers has made major upgrades to its website, adding a new published training schedule and online registration form, which makes it easy to sign up for checkweigher training. In addition, the website goes international with five languages to choose from and an animated world map showing OCS's offices and distribution partners worldwide. Also available in several languages are the product brochures and success stories featuring well known companies like Procter & Gamble. Additionally, users can take a virtual tour of major exhibitions, watch product videos and learn about OCS in general and the company's latest news and events.

International Paper ratifies new union contract
The United Steelworkers (USW) and International Paper announced today that they have ratified a four-year Master Agreement contract that covers some 6,000 workers. The new contract includes wage increases in each year of the agreement, improvements to the pension and 401(k), cost stabilization for healthcare costs and employment security.

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