Opp Film adds BOPET film line at Peru facility
Opp Film SA, in Lima, Peru, will begin offering polyester bi-oriented (BOPET) film starting in early 2013. The company recently purchased a new Brückner Machinenbau line with a nameplate capacity of 35,000 MTPA. The high-speed, 8.7 meter-wide BOPET film line adds to OPP Film's current product offering of bi-axially oriented polypropylene (BOPP) and cast polypropylene (CPP) films. The company also recently started two new BOPP lines, and will start its newest cast film line in July 2012. The expansion enables Opp Film to offer a wider range of diverse packaging solutions, according to company officials.

U.S. Agriculture Secretary Vilsack tours PlantBottle facility
This week, U.S. Department of Agriculture www.usda.gov Secretary Tom Vilsack today visited Virent Inc. to see the company's technology to manufacture biobased products from plant materials in action, and how the process can create sustainable products and produce jobs in rural America. The secretary met with company employees and toured its demonstration facility to observe the BioForming process to convert a variety of agricultural products (including sugar, wood, and agricultural waste) into bio-based products. Virent recently signed agreements with the Coca-Cola Co. to provide the technology and biobased chemical Paraxylene to create 100 percent plant-based, renewable PlantBottle packaging.

Automated Packaging Systems receives Top Supplier Award
Automated Packaging Systems, a company that specializes in high-reliability packaging systems, has been recognized with a 2011 Top Supplier Award from ResMed, which provides medical products for the management of respiratory disorders. ResMed uses APS's Autobag bag packaging systems and materials for its product packaging. According to the company, APS received this award based on measurable performance data in areas of product quality, service performance, documentation and on-time delivery.

Fuchs, Nielsen partner on study of packaged food buying trends
Fuchs North America (a maker of seasonings, flavor systems and taste solutions to the food manufacturing and foodservice industries) has signed a multi-year agreement with The Nielsen Company to attain and study detailed consumer buying market intelligence from all scanned consumer packaged food categories. The Nielsen data, collected via checkout counter UPC product scanning across multiple grocery and combined retail channels, provide highly specific, granular information based on more than 160 product characteristics. Fuchs will then perform segmentation analyses to help inform customer product and packaging development.

FDA receives more than 1 million comments on GMO food labeling.
After soliciting public input on the issue of requiring consumer packaged goods manufacturers to label genetically engineered foods as such, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration recently received more than 1 million comments. Some consider the practice of using genetic science to alter the biological state to be unethical; others feel GMOs help decrease the cost or health benefits of a particular product and offer no risk to public safety. Reaction to the use of GMOs in food products ranges from a call to ban such products, a demand for mandatory labeling, and indifference. The agency intends to review the comments and issue a response in the near future.
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