PAC ONE files for Chapter 11: The Dunwoody, GA-based flex-pack converter filed for the protection August 22, while it continues its search for a new owner. The company will maintain operations in Summit, Miss., and New Hope, Minn., where its converts plastic films into packaging for the food processing and consumer-goods markets.

Clear View opens Mexico bag plant: The new PE bag-converting facility for the Albany, NY-based converter became operational in Juarez, Mexico, last month. "Only a stone's throw from El Paso, Texas," the plant offers added manufacturing capacity with five bagmaking lines to serve a growing customer base, the co. says.

Digital-print contest calls for entries: Sept. 14 is the deadline to enter the 2001 Diamond Awards competition for "best-in-class" digital printing, sponsored by Wood Dale, IL-based digital pressmaker Xeikon America, Inc. The sixth annual contest rewards excellence in both color and BW digital printing. More info: www.xeikon.com

Paperboard giant moves into DVDs: Westvaco Corp.'s AGI Media Packaging subsidiary acquires Poly-Matrix August 16, reportedly North America's largest maker of specialty plastic components for DVDs, CDs and other entertainment packaging. Poly-Matrix has sales of $28 million and employs 210 workers at its Pittsfield, Mass., facility.

Film converter Tekra reorganizes: The New Berlin, WI-based company consolidates its Film and Adhesive Products, and Advanced Technologies Group into a single structure "to more clearly position Tekra as the single source for a variety of engineered plastic films, adhesive products, as well as custom-coated functional films," says the co.

Standard Group purchases second Mitsubishi: With a priority to reinvest in his company, Steven Levkoff, CEO of package printer Standard Group, purchases a 7-color, 56-in. Model 6FC Mitsubishi press for folding-carton applications. Rated at 14,000 sph, it is the Standard Group's second unit at the Jackson Hts., NY, plant.

Ticona plans new UHMW-PE plant: The resinmaker, a subsidiary of Germany's Celanese AG, will be build the 30,000-metric-tons/yr facility in Bishop, Texas, to produce high-molecular-weight PE. The line, which should be on-stream in late 2002, replaces an existing plant in Bayport, Texas, and doubles Ticona's capacity for the polymer.

Corrugated and flex packs made up more than 75 percent of all printed, converted packaging sold in the U.S. last year, says a new study by Boston-based I.T. Strategies. Among printing methods, flexo accounted for 65 percent of the market, followed by offset at 21 percent.

A British dairy is trying to milk the future with its plastic-pouch pilot program launched in three English districts. Dairy Crest began selling milk in two-pint clear plastic bags to supermarkets and delivery companies August 14. The move hammers another nail in the coffin of the traditional glass milk bottles that are still delivered by door-to-door milkmen in many cities across the U.K.

The milk pouch costs about 1.5 cents less than a two-pint plastic bottle, and is being marketed as the "smart environmental choice" as it takes up less landfill space than bottles. The concept is not new; plastic milk pouches have been sold in Canada for the past 30 years.

The pouches are sold in pairs and aimed at larger families. "In many ways, it's more attractive to put milk from the pouch into a jug and have that on the table rather than a plastic bottle," says a Dairy Crest spokesman.

A final decision on the future of the milk pouch in Britain will be taken at the end of the trial this fall. For now, retailer Sainsbury's is stocking the pouch at 12 of its stores in the southwest U.K.