N.V. Business Publishers Corporation (with offices in New Jersey and Illinois) is truly the only trade journal specialist that serves the worldwide corrugated and folding carton industries with separate publications. The company is fully integrated with publishing, design, reproduction and origination. N.V. produces a selection of magazines (weekly, bi-weekly, monthly and bi-monthly) exclusively covering every aspect of the Corrugated, Folding Carton, Flexographic Printing, and Recycling industries. An added extension for our worldwide publications is our affiliate in England, Brunton Publications, Ltd.
Vol. 23 No. 6 An N.V. Publication Market News FLEX Serving The Flexographic Printing Industry For More Than Two Decades ®
March 15, 2021
Fort Dearborn Acquires Hammer Packaging
FINAT: Labelstock Demand Strong Eighty-three percent of brand own- ers project that label purchase vol- umes will increase or remain the same in 2021 across all formats, de- spite the impact of the Covid-19 pan- demic on supply chains.According to this year’s FINAT RADAR Brand Own- er survey, 74 percent of companies anticipate that volumes will increase, despite 46 percent of firms revealing that they had experienced supply dis- ruptions over the last ten months. Encouraging Outlook The encouraging news is that despite the uncertainty, the outlook for the Eu- ropean narrow web market remains positive. Thirty-eight percent of firms say that they plan to increase procure- ment volumes between 4 and 6 per- cent, and 7 percent of the companies surveyed suggest volumes could even increase between 7 and 15 percent. However, the survey also reveals shifting priorities in light of the pan- demic, including a heightened interest in ensuring that supply chains are resil- ient to shocks. Last year, just 7 percent
by Greg Kishbaugh
F ort Dearborn Company, Elk Grove Village, Illinois, has ac- quired Hammer Packaging Corporation. Fort Dearborn Com- pany is a supplier of decorative labels for the food, beverage, spirits, paint and coatings, household and personal care, beer
and nutraceutical markets. The company has 19 operating divi- sions in North America, employ- ing more than 2,000 associates. Fort Dearborn was founded in 1925 by Nick Adler Jr. when he “As the fourth generation to own the company, I have guided the company with a ‘lead, don’t follow’ philosophy,” said Jim Hammer, ( right ) President and CEO of Hammer Packaging. “In order to continue our growth, and thrive, we made the historic decision to join Fort Dearborn Company.”
opened a press shop in Chicago, Illinois. In the 1960s, Nick’s sons Tom, Jerry and Richard, all join the company. In 2006, the company was acquired by private equity firm Gen- star Capital. Four years later, KRG Capital Partners became Fort Dearbor’s largest investor; in 2016,Advent International became the company’s largest investor. Fort Dearborn spent considerable energy on acquisitions during the preceding decade. In 2002, the company acquired Coastal Sleeve Label, a producer of shrink sleeve labels for the food, beverage and consumer product industries. In 2007, Fort
(Cont’d on Page 5)
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Fort Dearborn Acquisition (Cont’d from Page 1)
mer Packaging.“In order to continue our growth, and thrive,we made the historic decision to join Fort Dear- born Company.” Hammer Packaging was founded in 1912 in Roches- ter, New York, by Herman J. Meyering as Genesee Val- ley Lithographic Company. The company supplied labels to the regional agricul- tural industry in Western New York. Walter Hammer took control of the business in mid-1940s and changed the name to Hammer Lithograph. Over the years, the company evolved by moving into new markets and expanding capabilities. As the com- pany continued to grow, Walter’s son Ed Hammer assumed leadership of the company and in 1972, due to inroads the company had made in the food and beverage markets,Hammer moved to a new manufacturing facility called Metro Park. During the 26 years at Metro Park, Ed’s son Jim Ham- mer, the current President and CEO, assumed the lead- ership role and during this time the company’s name was changed to Hammer Packaging to reflect the com- pany’s expanded capabilities. In 1998, Hammer expanded again into a 90,000- square-foot facility on a 19-acre parcel of land adjacent to the Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT). Hammer’s new proximity to the globally recognized
Dearborn acquired Renaissance Mark, and in 2013, the company acquired AC Label/St Louis Litho, ex- panding its presence in the spirits, beverage, nutra- ceutical and confectionery end markets. The same year it also acquired FetterGroup’s paint and coatings label business. In 2015, Fort Dearborn acquired Core Label, a sup- plier of roll-fed labels to the beverage market. In 2016, Fort Dearborn acquired SleeveCo, a supplier of shrink and stretch sleeve labels.Two years later, the compa- ny acquired NCL Graphic Specialties, a supplier of cut & stack labels, promotional printing and flexible packaging. In 2019, Fort Dearborn acquired Walle Corporation, a supplier of cut & stack, roll-fed and shrink sleeve labels. Hammer Packaging With two facilities located in West Henrietta, New York, and Rochester, New York, Hammer Packaging offers cut & stack, in-mold, pressure sensitive, roll-fed, shrink and stretch sleeve labels as well as flexible pack- aging. It currently employs more than 450 associates. “As the fourth generation to own the company, I have guided the company with a ‘lead, don’t follow’ philos- ophy,” said Jim Hammer, President and CEO of Ham-
(Cont’d on Page 7)
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Portco Packaging Expands With Uteco Press Portco Packaging, Woodland, Washington, has ex- panded with the purchase of a new Onyx 8-color 53-
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inch flexo press from Uteco equipped with many fast make-ready and waste-saving features. Portco will be featured in an in-depth article in the March 29th issue of Flexo Market News . AICC Plans Next Converter Think Tank AICC, The Independent Packaging Association, is bringing in Sales Expert,MarkAllen Roberts, and a pan- el of AICC boxmaker and supplier members for the next Converter Think Tank, titled NowWhat?!!, on Fri- day, March 19 at 2:00 pm ET. The coronavirus pandemic has altered the box busi- ness and the world. Now, as more and more vaccines are being administered, AICC members sit on a prec- ipice wondering,“Will we go back to the old days of 2019?” “What will change?” “What will remain the same?” This session will discuss the sales process and dive into how sales tactics will change, how organizations have mastered the remote sale, and what happens when a virtual sales force begins knocking on doors again. AICC will also help attendees improve their margins with a newwebinar, How to Facilitate Margin Improve- ment, Tuesday,March 23,with instructor Suzy Cummins, Regional General Manager, NorthAmerica, RPI. This webinar will discuss ways that Customer Service can look at orders, job costing, product layout and pro- cess improvement to facilitate margin improvement.
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In addition to its bi-weekly print edition, Flexo Market News also offers unprecented online reach for advertisers, as well. * Every ad in our print edition appears in our online edition, which includes a link back to your company’s website. • Banner ad opportunities exist at both www.flexomarketnews.com and www.nvpublications.com.
• Exclusive online sponsorships allow your company to have sole ownership over online content, in addition to your ad on a web blast that goes to our readers. • Web blast sponsorships that reach our entire
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4 March 15, 2021 Flexo Market News
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FINAT Labelstock Report (Cont’d from Page 1)
strong continued interest from buyers in maintain- ing environmental credentials. Seventy-five percent of companies say that environmental certification is ei- ther “important” (49 percent) or “critical” (26 percent) to doing business,particularly in food,beverage,health & beauty, and pharmaceutical verticals. Flint Group Packaging Announces Price Increase Flint Group Packaging has announced its intention to increase the prices of its ink and coating products, effective April 1, 2021. According to the company, it is facing an extraordi- narily turbulent set of supply chain conditions, exac- erbated by the global pandemic. Costs are increasing and supply is tightening across almost all procurement categories: multiple petrochemical derivatives – such as resins & solvents; pigments, and freight, are three of the most volatile areas. Flint Group Packaging continues to collaborate with all its global supply chain partners, in order to mitigate as many negative effects as possible. How- ever, recent upstream force majeure announcements and the acute global freight imbalance is impeding some corrective actions.
of survey participants said that it was important that label vendors have more than one production facility. This year, the same figure has increased to 25 percent. The second major indicator of this trend is the surge of interest in the flexibility of digital label presses. Even during the height of lockdown, just 7 percent of companies reduced digital label spend. Today, one in three companies specifically identify events in 2020 as the motivation for sourcing more digitally printed labels, owing to the advantages of shorter lead times and greater assurance of supply chain availability that the technology enables. The shift to digital is not necessarily entirely shaped by recent events, however, as the survey also reveals other factors that are driving the changes,with the top reasons identified as the ability to print small run siz- es as well as improved turnaround time. But what the survey does show is that fewer buyers are interested in the sort of late-stage customization options offered by digital printing. It suggests that as the business focus turns towards resilience and reliability, sophisticated marketing cam- paigns with individualized, unique packaging, plays less of a role. Beyond the pandemic, the survey also reveals a
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To boost your market presence contact:
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Flexo Market News March 15, 2021 5
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NAM Reports Vibrant Manufacturing Sector
After plummeting sharply last year due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the global recession, manu- facturing activity has rebounded,with the sector being a bright spot in the economy in recent months, accord- ing to the new National Association of Manufacturers’ outlook survey for the first quarter of 2021. Manufacturing production is likely to exceed pre-pan- demic levels in the next couple months, and employ- ment in the sector has risen in all but one month since April 2020. Despite solid growth, there have also been significant supply chain disruptions in the marketplace as firms have struggled to keep up with that demand. In the most recent Institute for Supply Management report, the backlog of orders soared to the highest lev- el since April 2004, and raw material costs rose at the swiftest rate since May 2008. In addition, firms contin- ue to note workforce challenges, with manufacturing job openings elevated despite a dramatically altered labor market over the past year. With that as context, the Manufacturers’Outlook Sur- vey for the first quarter of 2021 was conducted from February 19 to March 5, and 87.6 percent of respon- dents felt either somewhat or very positive about their company outlook. It was the third straight quarterly increase in optimism in the survey, with the outlook bouncing back from the 33.9 percent reading in the second quarter of 2020,which was the worst since the Great Recession. More importantly, this suggests that manufacturers had the strongest outlook in two years, since the first quarter of 2019. The NAM Manufacturing Outlook Index measured 58.7 in the first quarter, up from 49.8 in the fourth quarter. This is consistent with the current outlook that was well above the historical average, which was 74.5 percent. For the past three reports,manufacturers were asked about production, employment and capital spending in the current quarter relative to the previous one.This information can be expressed as purchasing managers’ indices. Respondents were asked when they expect reve- nues to return to pre-pandemic levels. Nearly 33 per- cent said that their revenues had recovered by the end of 2020.An additional 6.3 percent reported their reve- nues will return to pre-pandemic levels by the end of the first quarter of 2021 (the current quarter). Overall, 67.6 percent of manufacturers completing this survey anticipate that their revenues will be back to pre-pandemic levels by the end of 2021, with 85.7 percent saying the same thing by the end of 2022. Rising raw material costs topped the list of primary
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BestBrightHalfHOUSEfour.qxp_Layout 1 9/13/18 3:04 PM Page 1 The Flexible Packaging Association (FPA) has an- nounced the winners of the FPA 2021 Student Flexi- Fort Dearborn Acquisition (Cont’d from Page 1) School of Print Media at RIT facilitated an education- al exchange program for Hammer associates and also brought about a new partnership for research and de- velopment. In 2012, Hammer completed an expansion of the corporate headquarters. Adding Flexo In 2017,Hammer added a 10-color flexographic press. This press, the company’s second, brought a host of upgrades, including enhanced laminating capabilities, plus a sheeting-conveying set-up for roll-to-sheet print- ing. Additionally, a new hot stamping unit expanded the company’s capability for printing and embossing metallic foil with precision, complementing extension cold foiling capabilities.The press boasts LED and UV curing technology, and an AVT camera offers automat- ic 100 percent print inspection and quality control advantages. FPA Announces 2021 Student Packaging Design Winners
ble Packaging Design Challenge. This year’s first and second place winners were teams of students from the University of Wisconsin – Stout under the direc- tion of Gary Borges.There were also three honorable mentions awarded for the 2021 competition. FPA’s annual Achievement Awards competition rec- ognizes innovative flexible packaging from across its membership.The industry also believes it is important to encourage and recognize students who are working to become the next generation of packaging designers. The newly created Emerging Leadership Council (ELC) is now overseeing the Student Flexible Packag- ing Design Challenge and judged this year’s competi- tion. The first place winning team is comprised of Caylee Boone,Abbey Dahlseng, Liam Gallagher, andAnna Kent. A packaging concept for bandages was the second place winner, also a team of students from the Univer- sity of Wisconsin – Stout. Connor Erwin, Corey Klatt, and Ben Lindgren, also under the direction of Gary Borges, designed a flexible packaging solution for ban- dages to improve the current paperboard packaging. The final honorable mention was awarded to Jai Arau- jo from San José State University under the direction of Xiaojing (Kate) Liu, Ph.D., for her Running Water — TheWater for Runners concept.
The Best And The Brightest Are Waiting To Hear From YOU
An ad in Flexo Market News is a direct sales meeting with thousands of Presidents, Owners, VPs and General Managers of flexo operations — the key people who make decisions on equipment purchases.
Greg Kishbaugh 317-306-1060 flexo@nvpublications.com
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Flexo Market News March 15, 2021 7
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Labelexpos In Europe, Americas Have New Dates Tarsus Group, organizer of the Labelexpo Global Se- ries of exhibitions and summits, has announced that Labelexpo Europe will now take place at the Brussels Expo Centre on 26-29 April 2022. The next edition of Labelexpo Americas, meanwhile, will take place on 13-15 September 2022 at the Donald E. Stevens Conventional Center in Rosemont, Chicago. At the same time Tarsus announced a new event, La- bel Congress 2021, which takes place September 29 - October 1, also at the Donald E. Stevens Convention Center. Label Congress 2021 includes conference sessions covering all areas of label and package print technolo- gy and markets, an educational stream, Label Academy Live, and an exhibition of new technology, with lead- ing suppliers displaying their latest equipment, soft- ware and services. The congress and educational sessions will also be broadcast to a global audience. Resource Label Acquires New England Label Resource Label Group, a full-service provider of pressure sensitive label, shrink sleeve and RFID/NFC technology for the packaging industry, has acquired New England Label, which is located in Andover, Mas- sachusetts. Resource Label is a portfolio company of First Atlan- tic Capital, a New York-based private investment firm, and TPG Growth, the middle market and growth equi- ty investment platform of TPG. New England Label is a flexographic, digital and screen printer that offers custom label solutions with a focus on food, beverage, health and beauty, industrial, medical and pharmaceutical markets. New England Label represents the 18th acquisition for Resource Label Group.This will be its fourth loca- tion in the Northeast. Plastic Packaging Market To Reach $486.2 Billion By 2028 The global plastic packaging market size is expect- ed to reach $486.2 billion by 2028, according to a new report by Grand View Research, Inc., register- ing a Compound Annual Growth Rate of 4.2 percent from 2021 to 2028.The rapid expansion of the food & beveraspled with the rising penetration of organized and e-retail across the world is expected to fuel mar- ket growth.
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8 March 15, 2021 Flexo Market News
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NAM Report (Cont’d from Page 6)
Get your company in front of the flexo industry’s key decisionmakers. Flexo Market News’ readership is comprised of Presidents, Owners, VPs and General Managers of flexo operations — the key people who make decisions on equipment purchases. An ad in Flexo Market News is a direct sales meeting with thousands of the industry’s best thinkers and most influental leaders. Reach Owners, President, VPs and General Managers The Top Minds In The Flexo Industry Are Waiting To Hear From You
business challenges in the first quarter, cited by 76.2 percent of respondents. In addition,manufacturers pre- dict 6.2 percent growth on average for input costs over the next 12 months, the fastest pace since the question was added to the survey in the second quarter of 2018. Respondents expected product prices to rise 3.9 per- cent between now and this time next year,a new record in the more than 23 years that this survey has existed. Retaining Talent The inability to attract and retain talent dropped to second place on the list of top challenges but was still noted by 65.8 percent of those completing the sur- vey. This issue was the primary concern in 11 of the past 13 quarters prior to this release, speaking to the structural skills mismatches that many manufacturers face regarding employment. In a special question, 73.5 percent of manufacturers said that passage of a major Manufacturing Business Outlook By Quarter 1997-2021
workforce training investment bill would positively impact their company’s business plans and outlook. Of those saying that such a bill would be helpful for them, respondents were asked how their companies would utilize such federal dollars if enacted.The most impactful uses included funding on-thejob training programs (74 percent), employer support for growing and expanding apprenticeship programs (59 percent), funding for incumbent worker training programs (57.5 percent), expanding community college programs (44.5 percent) and supporting industry certification programs (35 percent). Other top worries included rising health care and in- surance costs (50.9 percent), transportation and logis- tics costs (50.2 percent), supply chain challenges with inventory management (48.7 percent) and an unfavor- able business climate, including taxes and regulations (44 percent). If lawmakers adopted policies that provide tax in- centives for manufacturing investment in the United
To boost your market presence contact:
Greg Kishbaugh / 317-306-1060 / flexo@nvpublications.com
Robyn Smith / 910-553-4055 / rsmith@nvpublications.com
(Cont’d on Page 11)
Flexo Market News March 15, 2021 9
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TLMI Addresses Pandemic’s Impact On Narrow Web TLMI has published the winter edition of the asso- ciation’s Market Watch, a biannual market intelligence and complimentary resource made available to all of the association’s converter and supplier members.The report is researched and compiled by industry market research firm, LPC, Inc., and for the most recent edi- tion of the report, nearly 100 North American convert- ers filled out detailed surveys and participated in one- on-one interviews. The report focuses on the impact that the unprecedented circumstances of 2020 have had on the North American narrow web industry in addition to highlighting converters’ current strategies for the short and longer-term. Highlights of the report include converters’ 2020 growth by company size range, converters’ growth per end-use segment, and how the pandemic has impact- ed companies’ number-of-employees status, employee pay raise and bonus status, and the percentage of com- panies’ employees that are still working from home. Also included in the Market Watch is an analysis of the current hiring and recruiting tools that converters find the most effective in addition to purchasing pro- jections for 2021 for conventional and digital presses, prepress equipment, press auxiliary systems and IT/IT Infrastructure investments. Channeled Resources Installs Two Martin Butt Splicers Channeled Resources Group (CRG), a manufacturer of blank shipping labels, release liner, and laminated papers and films, has installed two MBS 05-22-50 Mar- tin Automatic Butt Splicers at its plant in Marathon City,Wisconsin.The two butt splicers will provide tan- dem, inline splicing for CRG’s Cohesio Label Machine.
Flexo Market News
Adheso-Graphics, Inc. www.adheso-graphics.com
AGI manufactures, distributes and converts current technology flexo mounting tapes and backing sys- tems for corrugated plate mounting. Flexstik hard vinyl, FlexSoft, bi.esse brand, Gold Series Thin tapes for sleeve and Narrow web plate mounting. Specialty tapes that cover the vast thick- ness range requirements and specific adhesion systems for all flexo mounting requirements. We provide technical service and problem solving ser- vices for unique customers & applications. A&V manufactures a complete line of photopolymer plate processing systems and is a leading distribu- tor of flexographic platemaking materials. A&V also sells digital imaging systems and software specifical- ly designed for flexography. ARC International www.ARCInternational.com Anderson & Vreeland, Inc. www.andersonvreeland.com ARC International is a world leader in the manufac- turing of roller products for flexography. The latest nanotechnology laser engraving in our Charlotte and Las Vegas manufacturing facilities ensures superior quality and consistency in anilox rollers. DuPont Packaging Graphics www.cyrel.com/na DuPont Packaging Graphics is the world’s leading supplier of flexographic printing systems in digital and conventional formats; including Cyrel® brand photopolymer plates, Cyrel® FAST processing equipment, Cyrel® round sleeves, mounting and fin- ishing products. For more than 35 years, beginning with Cyrel®, the first photopolymer printing plate, through to to- day’s digital workflow revolution, DuPont has been driving innovation in the Flexo and package printing industries. The Digital Cyrel® FAST imaging system has been broadly recognized for its efficiency, productivity, print performance, and environmental benefits.
GEW Celebrates 30th Anniversary
UV curing company GEW is celebrating its 30th An- niversary this month. GEW was formed in March 1991 by Gillian and Malcolm Rae, with the stated objective to “provide the narrow web label market with com- pact and efficient UV curing systems.” Today, GEW designs and manufactures mercury arc and LED UV curing systems for applications all across the printing, coating and converting industries. With headquarters in the UK and subsidiaries in Germany and the United States, the company serves an interna- tional customer base with sales, service and support available worldwide.
10 March 15, 2021 Flexo Market News
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NAM Report (Cont’d from Page 9)
Web Blast
States (for activities such as workforce training, re- search and development, capital equipment purchas- es or debt financing new investments), more than 80 percent responded that their company would find it easier to expand their domestic workforce. Meanwhile, 70.5 percent of manufacturers respond- ing to this latest survey felt that passage of a major infrastructure bill would impact their company’s busi- ness plans and outlook positively. Looking At The Trends Some other trends regarding predicted growth rates over the next 12 months: • Sales : Respondents expect sales to rise 4.9 percent over the next 12 months, the best reading since the third quarter of 2018. More than 80 percent of manu- facturers predict that sales will increase over the next four quarters, with 56 percent feeling that orders will rise 5 percent or more. Medium-sized and large manufacturers anticipate sales rising 5.5 percent, whereas small firms forecast increases of 2.9 percent. Smaller manufacturers also had the lowest outlook overall, with 78.4 percent pos- itive about their company’s outlook versus 90 percent or more for their larger counterparts. • Production : Respondents also expect production to increase 4.9 percent over the next 12 months, the strongest reading in 10 quarters.More than 79 percent forecast output to rise over the coming months, with 6.9 percent seeing declining production. Medium and large manufacturers felt the most optimistic, anticipat- ing 5.4 percent growth in production over the next 12 months. In contrast, small businesses expect output to rise 3.2 percent. • Full-Time Employment :Respondents expect full- time employment to rise 2.7 percent over the next 12 months, the highest rate since the second quarter of 2018. More than 60 percent anticipate more full time hiring over the next year, with more than one-quarter predicting employment growth of 5 percent or more. Just 6.2 percent expect employment reductions.Medi- um-sized manufacturers felt the most upbeat in their hiring plans, predicting 3.3 percent growth over the next 12 months. In contrast, small and large firms ex- pect employment to rise 1.9 percent and 2.2 percent, respectively. • Employee Wages :Respondents anticipate employ- ee wages (excluding nonwage compensation, such as benefits) to rise 2.5 percent over the next 12 months, up from 1.9 percent in the previous survey and the strongest figure since the third quarter of 2018. More than 41 percent see wages rising 3 percent or more,
Reach thousands of potential customers by sending a targeted web blast to the entire online readership of Flexo Market News .
DecisionmakersquarterHOUSE.qxp_Layout 1 8/13/19 6:20 PM Page 1
To take advantage of this opportunity contact:
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Get your company in front of the flexo industry’s key decisionmakers. Flexo Market News ’ readership is comprised of Presidents, Owners, VPs and General Managers of flexo operations — the key people who make decisions on equipment purchases. An ad in Flexo Market News is a direct sales meeting with thousands of the industry’s best thinkers and most influental leaders. Reach the Decisionmakers
(Cont’d on Page 12)
Flexo Market News March 15, 2021 11
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Flexo Market News
NAM Report (Cont’d from Page 11)
with 48.8 percent predicting an increase of up to 3 percent. • Capital Investments : Capital spending expecta- tions were the strongest in two years,with respondents anticipating an average increase of 2.7 percent over the next 12 months,up from 1.5 percent in the fourth quar- ter. In this survey, almost half expect additional capital spending in the next year, with 38.9 percent expecting no change and 11.3 percent forecasting reduced capi- tal expenditures. By firm size, small, medium and large manufacturers see capital spending increasing 1.3 per- cent, 3 percent and 3.2 percent, respectively. • Exports : Respondents expect exports to increase 1.1 percent over the next 12 months, up from 0.8 per- cent in the previous survey and the best reading since the second quarter of 2018. Thirty-five percent antici- pate higher exports in the next year, with 59.6 percent seeing no changes. Large manufacturers forecasted export growth of 1.4 percent over the next year, with small and medium-sized firms predicting 1 percent growth each.
Eaglewood Technologies, LLC www.eaglewoodtech.com
Eaglewood Technologies provides the award-win- ning Sitexco Laser Systems, Sanilox ™ Systems and Sani-Blast ™ Mobile Service. Sitexco Laser Systems are the latest technology in anilox roll cleaning and are perfect for packaging and label printers. San- ilox ™ Systems are the global standard of reliable, environmentally safe anilox roll cleaning. Sani-Blast ™ cleaning service has been cleaning rolls for over 20 years and offer several cleaning options to minimize downtime. Flint Group Flexographic Products develops, man- ufacturers and markets an extensive portfolio of printing consumables, including: nyloflex ® photo- polymer printing plates and processing equipment, and dayCorr ® die-cutting blankets and anvil covers. With a strong customer focus, unmatched service and support, and superior products, Flint Group strives to provide exceptional value, consistent qual- ity and continuous innovation to customers around the world. Flint Group www.flintgrp.com
Manufacturing Business Outlook By Quarter 2019-2021
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• Inventories : After six consecutive quarters with expected declines, respondents anticipated inventory growth for the second straight report, up 0.6 percent and 1.1 percent over the next 12 months in the fourth quarter and current surveys, respectively. The latest figure was the strongest since the second quarter of 2018. More than 39 percent of manufacturers antic- ipate increased inventories over the next year, with 16.3 percent expecting decreases and 44.5 percent seeing no changes. • Health Insurance Costs : Manufacturers predict health insurance costs will rise 7.2 percent over the next 12 months, up from 6.4 percent in the previous survey and the fastest pace since the third quarter of 2018. In the latest figures, 69.2 percent expect costs to increase 5 percent or more, including 25.9 percent seeing costs rising 10 percent or more.
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Flexotecnica’s patented Safe Sleeve Change ® system and Speedy Clean ® auto washup system are designed to give converters a competitive edge through Flexotecnica’s commitment to research and development. Sales, service and support for Flexo- tecnica presses is provided by KBA North America, Inc. in Dallas, Texas with U.S. resident technicians, an extensive spare parts inventory and an experi- enced, dedicated service staff.
12 March 15, 2021 Flexo Market News
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Virtual.Drupa To Feature Extensive Program
Industry Events
From April 20-23, 2021, the Conference Area of vir- tual.drupa will feature an English-language program focusing on the global trends of Artificial Intelligence, Circular Economy, Connected Consumer and Platform Economy. International industry experts, brand own- ers and speakers from vertical markets will provide presentations through best cases, keynote speeches and panel discussions. Two parallel live streams will offer visitors the opportunity to participate flexibly in the conference presentations between 10:00 am and 6:00 pm Central European Time. For participants around the world, these sessions will also be available 24/7 on demand in a video library. The conference program will start with keynotes from three international speakers on each of the four days:Two presentations byWall Street Journal bestsell- ing author and consultant Michael Gale will focus on Artificial Intelligence. As author of the book “The Digital Helix,” he will share where companies can use digital potential, how to make it accessible to everyone and how to activate business growth with the help of AI. In his keynote speech, James Sommerville from Great Britain will illustrate the great importance of product design in driving innovation and fostering growth. OnWorld Earth day, Dr. GabrielleWalker will address sustainability issues. The lecturer, author and climate expert will discuss global challenges with a special focus on sustainability, energy consumption, circular economy and climate change. The morning keynotes will be followed in two streams by the English-language daily program of the five drupa special forums “drupa cube,” “touchpoint packaging,”“touchpoint textile,”“drupa next age” and “3D fab+print,” which will be accompanied by a pro- fessional team of moderators. Flint Group Launches Enviroflex Flint Group ImageTransferTechnologies has launched Enviroflex, a suite of biodegradable products for clean- ing flexo presses, anilox rollers and rotogravure cylin- ders, flexo plates and flexographic printing facilities. TRESU Chosen As Ahlstrom-Munksjö Supplier TRESU has received an order for a fully customized coating line for formaldehyde-free coating from Ahl- strom-Munksjö in Sweden.
TLMI Virtual Spring Meeting April 14-15, 2021
drupa 2021 (Virtual) April 20 – 30, 2021
FTA InfoFlex 2021 May 3-4, 2021 Kansas City, MO
Labelexpo Americas June 8-10, 2021 Donald E. Stephens Convention Center Rosemont, IL
SuperCorrExpo 2021 August 8–12, 2021 Orange County Convention Center Orlando, FL
Labelexpo Europe September 21-24, 2021 Brussels Expo Brussels, Belgium
CorrExpo 2021 September 27 - 29, 2021 St. Louis, Missouri
FTA Fall Conference October 4-6, 2021 Frisco, TX
TLMI Annual Meeting October 17-19, 2021 Naples Grande Beach Resort Naples, FL
Flexo Market News March 15, 2021 13
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Classified Advertising
People & Places tesa Daniel Germain has been appointed Regional Manager, tesa North Ameri- ca. In this role, Germain will lead the company’s business and operations for Canada, the United States and Mexico.
Rates: Boxed Ads: Print: $95.00 per column inch . On-Line: $95.00, ($65.00 if placed with print ad). To place ad call (317) 306-1060 or email: flexo@nvpublications.com.
Flexo Market News® is published bi-weekly by NV Business Publishers Corporation, in association with Board Converting News®, Corrugated Today® Recycling Markets®, International Paper Board Industry®, Folding Carton Industry®, and Board Converting News International. Marketing and Circulation offices: PO Box 802, Manasquan, NJ 08736-0802, Phone: (732) 245-3702. Subscription Rates in U.S. and Canada $60 per year or $105 for two years. Overseas rate per year $80 USD. Current issue single copies (pre-paid only) $5.00 in U.S. (elsewhere $7.50); add $5.00 per order for shipping & handling. No part of this publication may be trans- mitted or reproduced without permission from the publisher. Eaglewood Seeks Sales Reps Eaglewood Technologies, a leading supplier of SAFE, SMART, SUPERIOR products for the FLEXO market, seeks Independent FLEXO sales representatives in the Eastern and Western regions of the U.S. to represent our growing product portfolio. Please send your inquiries to Petej@eaglewoodtech.com Subscriber Services For change of address, missed issues and other subscription questions call: (317) 306-1060 or email: flexo@nvpublications.com
Germain, was most recently Re- gional Manager, tesa Western Europe, where he led a major initiative to op- timize tesa core business areas across geographical boundaries.
Daniel Germain
Germain succeeds Paul Sullivan,who is taking over a new role as Head of Growth Markets in NorthAmerica.
APTech The Association for PRINT Technol- ogies (APTech) is saddened by the passing of longtime APTech member and Board member Ronald Joseph Rose, who died March 2. He was 75 years old. Rose was a co-founder and President of Nova Pressroom Prod- ucts in Jacksonville, Florida, and was a dynamic presence in the printing and graphic arts industry for more than forty years.
Ronald Rose
Miraclon Brian Ellis has been appointed as Sales Manager for the Northwestern US and Canada territories for Mira- clon. Ellis joins Miraclon with more than a decade of experience in the flexographic printing industry, most recently at Siegwerk as theWest Coast Ink Sales Manager. Arjobex Maggie Naberezny has joined Ar- jobex America as a National Key Ac- count Manager to promote the Poly- art brand and portfolio within the printing industry.
Brian Ellis
Robyn Smith - President/Publisher Len Prazych - Vice President
Greg Kishbaugh - Editor/Co-Publisher Phone: (317) 306-1060 email: flexo@nvpublications.com
Michelle McIntyre - Circulation Christine Eckert - Accounting Manager Jackie Schultz - Contributing Editor T.J. Vilardi - Webmaster/Social Media Coordinator
Universal Engraving Ross Hutchison has been named the new President of Univeral Engraving Inc. (UEI), a position held by his fa- ther, Larry, and grandfather, company founder Glenn E. Hutchison. Maggie Naberezny
Tom Vilardi (1961-2018) Chairman Ted Vilardi (1933-2013) - Founder ©2019 NV. Publications All Rights Reserved
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14 March 15, 2021 Flexo Market News
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The Measure of Quality.
We speak anilox. Wide web. Label. Corrugated. Coating. Wherever ink meets plate, Apex is there. Every day, thousands rely on Apex anilox rolls to predictably deliver the correct measure, no matter the substrate. Fluently.
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The language of efficiency and profitability is “uptime.” Uptime means precise, resilient, and predictable anilox rolls that give printed results which minimize dot gain, pinholing, and mottling. Uptime means faster clean-up, fewer rolls changes, durable materials, and lightweight rolls & sleeves. Apex delivers uptime with our label roll and sleeve stocking programs.
Built right, built best. Apex products are OEM-certified and approved because we build to the strictest OEM specs. Apex TIR/ OD/ID tolerances are the tightest in the industry. Repairs to journals, bearings, keyways are precision welded and machined. Apex is the only anilox sleeve maker that builds its own. We speak printability. Apex award-winning engravings are legendary for printing better, faster, andmore economically. Print more with less. Let us prove — with more than words — how we can up your game. Contact us to quote on your new roll, sleeve, or re-engraving.
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FLEXO EDUCATION
Anderson & Vreeland is dedicated to cultivating innovation in the Flexo industry. Our long-standing commitment to education had led us to:
• Identify customized solutions for our customers to run a profitable operation; • Train and educate teams on new equipment and integrations; • Optimize digital workflows through automation and new technology; and
• Partner with leading educational and trade associations including Clemson University’s Sonoco Institute’s STRIPE VR and The Phoenix Challenge Foundation in the development of the next generation workforce.
Learn more about what the right partner in flexo innovation can do for you: www.andersonvreeland.com
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