PACKAGING BRIEFS—Thursday, Dec. 16

Berlin Packaging makes second acquisition in 10 months
Berlin Packaging—a leading full-service supplier of plastic, glass, and metal containers and closures—has bought Chicago-based Continental Packaging Solutions. The transaction expands Berlin's resources to provide customers fast and expert service and cost-effective rigid packaging.

iGPS sues wooden pallet org
Intelligent Global Pooling Systems (iGPS Co. LLC), operator of rental service for all-plastic pallets with embedded radio frequency identification (RFID) tags, has filed suit against the National Wooden Pallet and Container Association (NWPCA) and its president for false, malicious and defamatory statements. The NWPCA suggested that plastic pallets may be the cause of recent butter contamination in the Dallas area. In a Dec. 8, 2010, press release, NWPCA talked about a study by the University of Texas (UT) School of Public Health, which investigated levels of polybrominated diphenyl ether (PBDE) flame retardants in butter samples.

Interfilm plant receives "superior rating" on food safety audit
On Dec. 10, 2010, Interfilm's Glastonbury facility near Hartford, Conn., received a score of 960 in a food safety audit, continuing the company's streak of Superior ratings by AIB International. The Glastonbury plant is the fourth Interfilm facility to receive a Superior rating, and scored second highest of the four slitting operations. Interfilm's North Aurora, Ill., facility received a score of 990 in October 2010.In addition, this accomplishes Interfilm's goal of having all four converting facilities audited by AIB International in 2010.

Silgan acquisition expands European food can business
Silgan Holdings Inc., a leading supplier of consumer goods packaging products, has agreed to purchase the food can business of Vogel & Noot Holding AG. Headquartered in Vienna, Austria, Vogel & Noot operates 12 food can manufacturing facilities throughout Central and Eastern Europe and anticipates sales of approximately €250 million (or approximately US$335 million at current exchange rates) in 2010.

Qosmedix debuts on YouTube.com
Qosmedix, a leading supplier to the beauty industry, has launched the first in a series of videos on YouTube.com at www.youtube.com/qosmedix. The company partnered with Eve Pearl, five-time Emmy award winning celebrity make-up artist, to create this exclusive video content. Featured in the premier video is an interview with the Qosmedix founder and president, Stuart Herskovitz, who discusses how he pioneered the concept of medical-quality disposables in the cosmetics industry and offers a tour of the 50,000 square foot climate-controlled warehouse facility.

Interbrand names global consumer packaged goods director
Global branding agency Interbrand has named Fred Richards global executive creative director for consumer packaged goods. Previously, Richards was executive creative director of North America and Cincinnati. In his new role, Richards will leverage and expand his expertise into pivotal regional and global markets.

Appleton reminds market that all its thermal paper products are BPA-free
Appleton, the nation's largest manufacturer of thermal paper, has announced to the industry that it does not use the controversial ingredient bisphenol-A (BPA) in any of its products. Appleton dropped BPA from its thermal paper formulation in 2006 out of growing safety concerns about the chemical. This reminder of a readily available, cost-effective and BPA-free alternative comes on the heels of an independent report issued by Safer Chemicals, Healthy Families and Washington Toxics Coalition, which found high levels of BPA in 50 percent of thermal paper receipts sampled from major U.S. businesses and services.

U.K. food safety agency says no "cloned" labels needed
The U.K.'s Food Standards Agency ruled at its December 2010 board meeting that it will advise against mandatory labeling for meat and milk from cloned animal offspring because there is no evidence to justify it for food safety reasons.