PACKAGING BRIEFS Tuesday, Nov. 22

RR Donnelley expands packaging/labeling platform with StratusGroup acquisition

RR Donnelley & Sons Co. has acquired West Chester, OH-based StratusGroup, Inc., a manufacturer of custom pressure-sensitive label and paperboard packaging products geared toward health and beauty, food, beverage and other segments. According to John Paloian, RR Donnelley's COO, "With the exponential growth in media choices available to consumers, point-of-purchase packaging plays an increasingly important role in our customers' marketing mixes," adding that StratusGroup's labeling and paperboard offerings will complement the company's prime label, corrugated and other packaging capabilities around the globe.

New Indiana packaging plant to create 63 jobs

Canadian firm IntraPac Group, which manufacturers packaging for the pharmaceutical and personal-care industries, plans to open a plant in Lawrenceburg, Ind., creating 63 jobs. The company is relocating its operations from New Jersey to an 80,000-sq-ft. facility in the southeastern Indiana town, with opening of the new facility anticipated. Intrapac employs about 250 people at plants in New York, Virginia and Costa Rica, according to the company.

RPA to host MODEX education conference

The Reusable Packaging Association will host a Reusables Conference at the MODEX show in Atlanta, GA, on Monday, February 6, from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. The conference, titled "Reusable Packaging—Efficient, Cost-Effective and Sustainable Solutions for Today's Supply Chains," is a three-hour program designed to help those who are new to reusable packaging, and professionals that already have incorporated reusable strategies in their operations.

Aluminum Assn. applauds recycling resolution

The Aluminum Association has applauded the U.S. Senate its unanimous passage of Senate Resolution 251, which expresses "support for improvement in the collection, processing, and consumption of recyclable materials throughout the United States."According to Heidi Brock, President of the group, "Recycled aluminum provides an essential feedstock to the aluminum industry, and we strongly support efforts to encourage and expand recycling of aluminum and other high-value materials-particularly among consumers." Brock added that recycled aluminum uses only 5 percent of the energy, and generates only 5 percent of the emissions, associated with the manufacture of primary aluminum.

Avery Dennison opens adhesives research center

Avery Dennison has opened its new Adhesives Center of Excellence research center in Mill Hall, PA. The 24,500-sq-ft expands the amount of space the company has dedicated to research and development of adhesives and brings its adhesives researchers under one roof in state-of-the-art facilities. According to Dave Edwards, vp and chief technology officer for Avery Dennison, the new research facility will enable the company's various teams to work together and bring more advanced, sustainable adhesives to market.

AF&PA, NPTA announce paper packaging event

The American Forest & Paper Association and the NPTA Alliance will jointly host Paper2012 in New York City, March 25-27, 2012. The event, geared toward members of the paper industry will highlight how the paper-based packaging industry offers sustainable products that can help meet the needs of people around the world. "Paper2012 will bring representatives across the supply chain to interact with their colleagues and discuss their priorities," says NPTA CEO Kevin Gammonley. "This will be the one event in 2012 where leaders from across the industry can come together to discuss ways to advance their respective companies' interest as well as that of our industry."

Sonoco Recycling names Milliken & Co. a Sustainability Star Award winner

Sonoco Recycling, a wholly owned subsidiary of Sonoco, has awarded Milliken & Co. (based in Spartanburg, SC) a gold-tier Sonoco Sustainability Star Award for going landfill free. The company's first manufacturing plant achieved zero-waste-to-landfill status in 1992; by 1995, 20 of its plants had sent zero waste to landfill. To achieve landfill-free status, each location created a baseline by quantifying their solid waste, categorized by type and destination, such as landfill, reused or recycled. The company wrote an in-house program for a solid waste database, where locations reported data each accounting period. Landfill pounds, indexed to 1989, have been reduced from 1.000 to 0.003, corresponding to an approximately 99.7-percent reduction in solid waste landfilled.

TNA opens manufacturing facility in China

Packaging solutions company TNA has opened a manufacturing plant in Qingdao, China, in order to meet growing demand in the market. According to the Chinese Packaging Federation, huge growth in the Chinese sector can be attributed in part to the packaged food industry, which has seen up to 20% growth annually in recent years. The 7650-sq-m plant incorporates two separate factories and office space.

Former worker sues Berry Plastics for religious discrimination

Ex-employee Billy E. Hyatt has filed a federal suit claiming he was terminated after refusing to wear a "666" sticker marking the number of consecutive days at the Berry Plastics plant in Rome, GA, without a safety incident. Citing a "sincere religious belief is that to wear the number 666 would be to accept the mark of the beast and to be condemned to hell," Hyatt objected to the company's requirement that all employees wear the sticker. He reportedly received a three-day suspension and then was fired on March 17, 2010. His suit seeks to win back pay, benefits, court costs and an injunction.

.