PACKAGING BRIEFS Thursday, June 7

Sustainable Packaging Coalition seeks new director
GreenBlue has officially launched a national search for a new director of the Sustainable Packaging Coalition. The Weinreb Group, a search consultant specializing in recruiting sustainability executives, is steering the process. The SPC Directorship presents an opportunity for a qualified leader to play a significant role in advancing the state of sustainable packaging, and SPC hopes to have a new director in place before the SPC Fall Members Meeting this September. Click here for more details and an application form.

Multivac hires new regional sales manager in MCI division
Les Harrell has been appointed to the post of regional sales manager within Multivac's Medical-Consumer-Industrial (MCI) division. Working out of the Lakeland, FL, area, Harrell will serve Multivac's MCI customers in the eastern region of the U.S. He reports to Bob Koch, director of sales, effective immediately. Harrell joins Multivac from JBT FoodTech and has more than 20 years of experience in technical sales and project management. He holds a BS in Economics from the University of Georgia.

Spartech to expand Muncie packaging facility
Spartech—a leading producer of plastic sheet, compounds and packaging products—will expand its packaging facility in Muncie, IN. Upon completion of the project, Spartech will have added 32 jobs at the plant. The proposed expansion will add approximately 60,000 sq ft, enabling the installation of two new extrusion lines as well as several new thermoforming lines needed for Spartech to support the growing demands of its customers.

MWV acquires Aardex Group
MeadWestvaco Corp., a global leader in packaging and packaging solutions, has bought Aardex Group SA, a leader and pioneer in the design and use of electronic medication event monitoring systems and applications designed to measure, analyze and manage patient adherence in clinical drug trials. The acquisition will strengthen MWV's expertise in addressing medication non-adherence.

Topline enhances filling and assembly capacity at Mexico plant
Topline Products, a manufacturer of cosmetics packaging and products, has added a number of assembly and filling capabilities to the existing packaging and assembly operations at its 26,000-sq-ft plant in Reynosa, Mexico. The capabilities include an automatic filling line for nail pens, blister-carding, a Sollas overwrap machine for prestige fragrances and a new nail enamel filling capability added in April 2012. The plant also assembles packaged gift sets and provides labeling for any color cosmetics product.

Sun Chemical invests in new ink manufacturing facility in Montreal
Sun Chemical has reinforced its commitment to customers in Montreal and the Province of Quebec with the opening of its new state-of-the-art ink manufacturing plant in Laval, a $3.1 million (CAD) investment designed to provide stronger customer service, improve efficiency and reduce costs. The 50,000-sq-ft facility consolidates four manufacturing plants located in Ottawa, Quebec City and two buildings located in the Montreal suburbs of Boucherville and Anjou, into one new manufacturing plant that will service the needs of customers primarily located in Montreal, Ottawa and Quebec City areas.

Mettler-Toledo CI-Vision opens European Innovation Centre
Mettler-Toledo CI-Vision, the global manufacturer of vision inspection solutions for food, beverage and pharmaceutical lines, has opened a new European Innovation Centre in Germany and a new manufacturing facility in response to growing demand for its advanced technology in Europe, largely driven by more stringent quality control regulations and ever increasing focus on consumer safety. With local access to expert consultants and state-of-the-art vision inspection technology, Mettler-Toledo CI-Vision's European Innovation Centre streamlines the evaluation and design process to develop new, cost effective, customised vision inspection technology that meets manufacturers' individual needs.

Multisorb Technologies receives Hormel's Spirit of Excellence Award
Jim Renda, president of Multisorb Technologies, was presented with Hormel Foods Corp.'s Spirit of Excellence Award. This prestigious award recognizes suppliers who provide the highest level of quality, delivery and support. Of Hormel's 6,000 suppliers, only 75 suppliers met the criteria for the award this year. Each supplier was required to have achieved a supplier rating index of 92 percent or better for the year. The supplier rating index is a measurement system used by Hormel to ensure each supplier is held to the same standards, including meeting or exceeding expectations in areas of technical services, innovation, customer service, environmental responsibility and R&D support. Hormel uses Multisorb's FreshPax oxygen absorbers in its pepperoni packages to extend the product's shelf life.

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