Supplier News 799

 
THURSDAY, JULY 2, 2009Kraton Polymers announces Americas 
USBC and HSBC price increasesKraton Polymers LLC , a leading global producer of engineered polymers, announces a general price increase in the Americas of US Dollars 330/MT, or 15 cents per lb., across all markets and end uses, for Kraton SBS, SEBS, OE SBS, and OE SEBS polymers and compounds. Subject to the terms of any applicable contracts, the price increase will take effect no later than August 1, 2009, and may occur earlier as business conditions dictate.“Raw material and energy costs are rapidly increasing, and as a result, we are implementing responsible price increases to help us manage these difficult, volatile and global economic challenges,” commented David Bradley, Chief Operations Officer. “As a leading producer of SBC’s, we must maintain a profitability level that will enable us to continue serving our customers and reinvesting in the SBC industry. We remain committed to providing innovative solutions and value-added services to help our customers differentiate and succeed in their respective markets.” www.kraton.com 

A. Schulman Appoints Nancy Lauwers as 
Europe Human Resources ManagerA. Schulman, Inc. announced that it has appointed Nancy Lauwers as European Human Resources Manager with responsibilities for overseeing the human resources activities of the Company's Europe organization.Lauwers and Cathy Brown, North American Human Resources Director will report to Kim L. Whiteman, Vice President, Global Human Resources for the Company. Additionally, Lauwers will report to Bernard Rzepka, General Manager and Chief Operating Officer, Europe for business matters."I firmly believe the most important asset of any company is its people and with Nancy's appointment, we've created a management team that will effectively coordinate all of our global human resources activities and ensure that our entire organization is aligned with meeting the needs of our customers, shareholders and employees," said Joseph M. Gingo, Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer. www.aschulman.com 
WEDNESDAY, JULY 1, 2009
Mettler-Toledo Safeline opens four new product inspection demonstration centersMettler-Toledo Safeline, the worldwide leader in metal detection and x-ray inspection equipment, announces the grand opening of four new regional product inspection equipment demonstration centers. The centers – located in Dallas, Chicago, Anaheim, California and Lancaster, Pennsylvania – offer a convenient hands-on training opportunity for food processors and packagers in the local vicinity to learn about the latest technology in metal detection and x-ray inspection. Offering interactive machine and product testing demonstrations, visitors can gain specific knowledge about how to limit contamination in their plants and protect their brand.   http://us.mt.com  |   www.mt.com/pi-democenter
Quad/Graphics becomes first major commercial printer to achieve LEED Certification for a manufacturing plantQuad/Graphics, the hemisphere's largest privately held commercial printer, announced today that its Sussex, Wis., manufacturing facility has received Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification, Silver rating, from the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC). The accomplishment makes Quad/Graphics the first company of its kind to achieve any level of LEED certification for a manufacturing site. It also builds on the company's longstanding and industry-leading approach to making business decisions that are both environmentally responsible and sustainable.Because of its age - 25 years old - Quad/Graphics' Sussex facility qualified for LEED for Existing Buildings (LEED-EB). With 1.7 million square feet of usable space on a 73-acre site, Quad/Graphics' Sussex plant houses almost 60 pieces of heavy industrial press and finishing equipment, and serves as the company's corporate headquarters."We're proud of our environmental record and what LEED certification signifies," said Quad/Graphics President & CEO Joel Quadracci. "The fact that we've been able to certify a decades-old manufacturing facility - one that first opened in the 1980s - is a testament to our long-time commitment to environmentalism. It's not something we decided to get into recently. We've been committed to the environment since the very early days of our company - so much so that it is now embedded in our corporate DNA."Truly, we walk the talk when it comes to operating in an environmentally conscious manner," Mr. Quadracci added. "We take seriously our responsibility to the environment and it shows. We have the best environmental record in the industry." www.QG.com
TUESDAY, JUNE 30, 2009
Alcoa Names Kevin Kramer to New Position as President, Growth InitiativesAlcoa announced today that Kevin B. Kramer, 49, has been named to the newly created position of President, Growth Initiatives. In this role, he is responsible for supporting commercialization strategies for organic growth across Alcoa, including the commercialization of research and development initiatives, and identifying and developing new applications that respond to market trends and customers’ needs. In addition, he will support the development and execution of global marketing programs for aluminum applications across existing and new market opportunities. Mr. Kramer had been President of the Alcoa Wheel and Transportation Products business, which includes forged wheels and aluminum transportation structures globally.“Kevin is the ideal person to lead this growth initiative. He has an outstanding track record of applying innovation to grow the transportation business and the initiative to create new market opportunities,” said Alcoa President and CEO Klaus Kleinfeld.Under Kramer’s leadership, Alcoa successfully introduced the Dura-Bright® patented wheels in North America and expanded the use of aluminum in buses in China through partnership with China’s Yuton Bus Company.Kramer joined Alcoa in 2004 as president of Alcoa’s cast auto wheels business, following a successful 21 year career with Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company. Kramer held a series of progressively significant marketing and management assignments in Goodyear’s North American tire business, and Conveyor Belt and Engineered Products Division, before being named vice president, Original Equipment Sales, North America. He also held international marketing and sales assignments in the Asia-Pacific region for Goodyear.   www.alcoa.com


Crown Expands Presence In VietnamCrown Holdings, Inc. a leading supplier of packaging products worldwide, announced today that its subsidiary, CROWN Asia Pacific Holdings Ltd has acquired a beverage can production facility located northeast of Ho Chi Minh City in Dong Nai Province, Vietnam from Interfood Shareholding Company. Interfood will retain a minority investment interest in the plant.The newly constructed facility is sized to accommodate additional manufacturing lines and will have an initial annual production capacity of approximately 600 million two-piece, 33cl aluminum beverage cans. Commercial delivery of cans is scheduled to begin early in the fourth quarter of this year."We are delighted to expand our relationship with Interfood," commented, Jozef Salaerts, President of Crown's Asia-Pacific Division. "This is our third manufacturing facility in Vietnam which continues to be a vibrant and growing market for us. We have been doing business for more than 30 years in South East Asia and this expansion underscores our commitment to support the growing needs of our global and regional customers and to help them continue to build their brands." www.crowncork.com   www.wonderfarmonline.com 

LSI Welcomes Erik BronanderLSI is pleased to announce that Erik Bronander has joined their team as Director of Sales. Erik comes to LSI with years of experience in the packaging industry, with his most recent experience in Container Handling. “His knowledge and experience will further expand the expertise here at LSI”, said Jack Roe, Vice President and General Manager of LSI.LSI, a division of Pro Mach, is a manufacturer of heavy duty, pressure sensitive labelers for the packaging industry. labelingsystems.com 

Master Packaging Achieves 100% Inventory Accuracy 
Leveraging PECAS Vision ERPRadius Solutions Ltd., the leading integrated Business Information Management provider for the Packaging and Printing industry announced that Master Packaging is building its business processes around PECAS Vision ERP software to deliver its strategic business objectives.Founded in 1961, Master Packaging enjoys a long history of combining experience with technical expertise to deliver quality packaging that helps drive superior performance for its clients. The organization serves companies in a variety of industries such as: snack foods, fresh produce, fruits and nuts, baked goods, condiments, candy, coffee and pharmaceuticals. It also embraces green practices like recycling one hundred percent of scrap materials and offering post consumer recycling programs.After a thorough evaluation of potential software systems, Radius Solutions’ PECAS Vision application was selected. The system was rolled out across Master Packaging’s entire operation and is used by all company personnel from delivery drivers to the company’s CEO. “We were able to begin billing and shipping the very first day the system was installed,” stated Jon Madigan, VP of OPS at Master Packaging.Since implementing the software, Master Packaging has been able to automate processes and integrate data across all of its operations. The system has helped the company reduce and control costs, manage financial information and optimize scheduling. It has also enabled the company to get very tight grip on inventory management achieving zero variance in bank inventory audits.Along with process improvements and data management, PECAS Vision has provided Master Packaging with immediate access to essential business information. “I literally have the information I need right at my fingertips,” said Mr. Madigan. And Master Packaging plans to expand the reporting and executive dashboarding capabilities of PECAS Vision with an additional reporting suite and by implementing the Business Intelligence package available from Radius Solutions.  www.radiussolutions.com   www.masterpackaging.com 


MONDAY, JUNE 29, 2009
Vetter launches new secondary packaging operationVetter, one of the world's leading providers of aseptically pre-filled injection systems, has completed the installation of six automatic packaging lines at the company's new packaging services facility, Vetter Secondary Packaging (VSP). The Ravensburg-based packaging facility allows Vetter to double its production capacity and provide customers with a variety of state-of-the-art packaging options from a single location.With the capacity to handle a number of packing operations, including hand-packing, pen assembly, auto-injectors, safety devices, automatic setting of plungers, labeling, and blistering, Vetter increases its ability to serve customers by reducing their time to market. According to Vetter Managing Director, Thomas Otto, VSP fulfills one of the company's long-term strategies of meeting industry demands and future challenges. "Due to increasing economic and regulatory pressures, secondary packaging is becoming a critical issue for our customers," said Otto. "Vetter's new facility increases available capacity and enhances the range of services we can provide. In addition, it gives us the ability to perform all processes, from support in the early development phase to commercial manufacturing and even secondary packaging, at the highest quality and safety levels."VSP features optimal conditions for pharmaceutical finishing, including a classified hygienic manufacturing area boasting the highest quality and safety standards. Designed according to the latest GMP specifications, VSP's optimal layout and design ensures the best possible protection from mix-ups and contamination and contains ventilation systems and building technology adapted to the climatic requirements of customers' active substances."What makes VSP particularly advanced is the complete automation of all steps on the finishing lines, including labeling, plunger installation, blistering, packing, and transport from one station to the next," said Otto. "Compared to conventional procedures, VSP allows twice the number of systems to be assembled in half the time."  www.vetter-pharma.com 

HP to be official technology provider for Plastiki expedition

HP announced it will be the official technology provider for the upcoming Plastiki expedition led by adventurer and environmental storyteller David de Rothschild and his organization Adventure Ecology.

HP joined the Plastiki expedition as the voyage’s official technology provider to inspire people to rethink waste as a resource. The Plastiki, a one-of-a-kind 60-foot catamaran created out of reclaimed plastic bottles, self-reinforced PET (polyethylene terephthalate) and recycled materials, is making its momentous voyage across the Pacific Ocean later this year.HP will equip Adventure Ecology and the Plastiki crew with the powerful yet efficient technology products needed to make the 10,000-mile expedition from San Francisco to Sydney, Australia. HP also collaborated with Adventure Ecology on its interactive activity and educational center, Plastiki Mission Control.

“We all share the responsibility to preserve our environment,” said Satjiv Chahil, senior vice president, Global Marketing, Personal Systems Group, HP. “Through technology innovation, HP helps raise awareness of some of the world’s most pressing environmental needs, and delivers solutions – from energy-efficient products to sustainable packaging and transforming processes – that make it easier for our customers to be green.” www.hp.com/ecosolutions 


June 22 - 26 Supplier News 

June 15 - 19 Supplier News 

June 8 - 12 Supplier News

June 1- 5 Supplier News


.