Cargill, BioAmber partner on bioplastics
NatureWorks and BioAmber have announced a joint venture focused on producing polymers for food applications, including plastic packaging, cup lids, cutlery and other products. NatureWorks, based in Minnetonka, MN, is half-owned by agribusiness giant Cargill Inc.; Plymouth, MN-based BioAmber draws upon clean, sustainable feedstocks to create materials for a wide range of applications, including packaging.

Silgan Containers honored for reducing energy consumption
The Sacramento Municipal Utility District (SMUD) has recognized the Sacramento California can production facility of can manufacturer Silgan Containers for significant reductions in electric energy consumption. According to the company, annual electricity demand for the plant's vacuum system will be reduced by more than half, from approximately 1.1 million kWh per year to an estimated 514 thousand kWh. The plant, which manufactures two- and three-piece steel cans for food packaging, reportedly achieved the savings through the installation of a new vacuum system; the upgrade included replacing screw-piston vacuum pumps with higher efficiency Nash rotary pumps, and equipping individual machines with vacuum system shutoff valves for use when not in operation.

ASCO Numatics to sponsor Amazing Packaging Race at PACK EXPO 2012
ASCO Numatics has announced it will sponsor the Amazing Packaging Race for the second time. The event—which takes place at PACK EXPO International Oct. 28-31 in Chicago and is sponsored by PMMI—is a fun, educational event that pits teams of packaging students from programs around the country against each other in a race to gather points by completing tasks at specific booths. Participating exhibitors will be asked to contribute $500 to the PMMI Education & Training Foundation, which will support scholarships and other educational assistance for students at PMMI's partner schools in the U.S. and Canada.

Cadillac Products Packaging lands $141,000 federal contract
Cadillac Products Packaging, based in Troy, MI., has announced it has landed a federal contract valued at up to $141,000 from the U.S. Department of the Treasury's Bureau of Engraving and Printing for pallet conversions.

Seidl's Bindery expands inline folding/gluing capabilities
Seidl's Bindery, a full-service binding and finishing solutions provider, has expanded its inline folding/gluing capabilities. With two high-powered Bobst Fuego systems on its production floor, Seidl's Bindery says it now offers improved versatility, speed, and total output on all folding and gluing work. "Increased demand for high-volume folding and gluing production drove us to upgrade our capabilities appropriately," says president Bill Seidl. "The second machine effectively doubles our folding/gluing department's production capacity to help us better meet customer needs in this area."
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