MOVERS & SHAKERS

Bradman Lake Group appoints Simon Wheatley to the position of chief executive. Wheatley joined Bradman Lake Ltd., the British arm of the international Bradman Lake Group, in March 2003 as sales and marketing director.

Smurfit-Stone Container Corp. names Nina E. Butler to succeed Curtis A. Barton as vp, environmental affairs, effective upon Barton's retirement April 30, 2006. Butler joined the company in 1996 as environmental counsel and currently serves as senior environmental counsel, with responsibility for a wide range of transactional and compliance matters.

The Ampac Flexibles—Converted Products division of Ampac Packaging, LLC, announces the addition of three new account managers. Kenneth L. Pouliot reports to Robert L. Biddle, president, Ampac Flexibles, Converted Products (Chicago), and will be responsible for sales in the Northeast. Matt Conlin and Steven R. Herlehy report to Craig Rutman, director of sales and marketing, Ampac-Converted Products (Minneapolis). Conlin and Herlehy are responsible for sales in the Midwest and East, respectively.

Hoppmann Corp., a member of Shibuya Group Companies, names Gary Marsh vp of sales. Marsh has been active in the material handling business since 1979, working first with parts feeders and assembly machines. Marsh is one of the new officers of Hoppmann, along with president Mark Flanagan; executive vp and secretary Kazuhiro Miyamae; executive vp Horstmar Schober; vp, manufacturing Mike East; and vp, finance Marianne Slusher.

The Dow Chemical Company announces that Jeff Wooster has been named senior value chain mgr, food and specialty packaging for plastics. Wooster will be primarily responsible for developing strategic business relationships and expanding business opportunities for Dow's innovative portfolio in the packaging industry. Prior to his new position, Wooster served as the applications technology leader for food and specialty packaging.

Piab Vacuum Products appoints Brian Punt to the position of packaging segment specialist. Punt will be responsible for overseeing all packaging-related account activity with a focus on helping customers optimize their vacuum systems and ensure the most productive and energy-efficient solutions. For the past 10 years, Punt has served as the West Coast regional sales mgr. for PIAB.

BUYING & SELLING

SATO announces a definitive agreement to purchase Checkpoint System's Bar Code Systems (BCS) businesses, with operations in North America, Asia Pacific and Europe, including its hand-held labeling solution in the U.S. The price will include approximately $8.6 million in excess of net book value, and total consideration for the business is expected to be approximately $40 million, payable in cash.

Sonoco sells its folding cartons business to Caraustar Industries, Inc. The business produces a variety of paperboard cartons and packaging from its single manufacturing facility in Charlotte, NC. It has approximately 130 employees.