• PCMC tallies $29 million in new press orders: The Green Bay, WI-based machinery maker sees a surge in orders for its flexo presses. Ten systems have been or-dered, including eight Infiniti 10-color CI-flexo presses, one Evolution inline press and one recently introduced Vision-G model press. The orders, coupled with strong demand for modification and upgrades in the company's tissue machinery lines, mean PCMC not only will defer previously announced layoffs in its Green Bay workforce but will now call back 53 employees from layoff status.
• Organizer labels Label-expo Americas 2004 "the best yet:" The event held last month at the Stephens Convention Ctr. in Rosemont, IL, drew more than 400 industry suppliers exhibiting to nearly 13,000 label and narrow-web converting professionals, says show organizer Tarsus Exhibitions. Attendance was up 5 percent over the 2002 show, with nearly 20 percent of visitors coming from outside the US. Regular exhibitors, such as ANI Printing Inks, Avery Dennison, BST Pro Mark, Gallus, Gidue, Green Bay Packaging, HP, Ko-Pack Intl., Mark Andy, Nilpeter, Omet, and PCMC all reported positive results, Tarsus says.
• Homemade substrates: Release-liner and substrate provider Douglas-Hanson installs a new 3-layer Varex® blown-film extrusion line from Windmoeller & Hoelscher Corp., Lincoln, RI, at its headquarters plant in Hammond, WI. The system, which is expected to be in production this month, will produce materials up to 87 in. wide in gauges from 0.50 to 15 mil. Blown-film extrusion will be a new service provided by Douglas-Hanson, in addition to the converter's extensive line of silicone-release liners, tandem extrusions, thermal-, UV- and EB-silicone coating, says president Chris Hanson.
• PPC trends report shows 7 percent carton growth in 2004: The US folding-carton market will reach $9 billion in sales this year, says the Paperboard Packaging Council's 2004 Trends: Industry Outlook and Market Data Report. Growth in the drug, retail carryout, beverage, frozen food, and HBA markets will be the primary drivers of increased shipments. Forecasts for 2005–2006 remain less positive due to rising boxboard costs, which may force some converters to raise prices of folding cartons.
• Packaging applications will account for three-fourths of all film uses in 2008 due to cost and source-reduction advantages over rigid packaging, as well as potential in areas such as breathable films and standup pouches, says a new study by Cleveland-based market re-searcher The Freedonia Group. Food packaging will provide growth opportunities for snacks, confectionery and produce.

President Bush's agenda to address US foreign-trade issues and the soaring trade deficit was detailed Sept. 22 during the Flexible Packaging Assn.'s 2004 Fall Executive Conference. About 100 flex-pack converting professionals attended the FPA's "Impact of Imports" event at the Hotel InterContinental in Chicago. On hand to present the four-fold agenda was Christopher A. Padilla, assistant US Trade Representative for Intergovernmental Affairs.

Key to the Bush plan is first opening new foreign markets to both sell to and buy from, Padilla says. "Such trade equals higher economic growth overall," he explained. This will be done through a series of individual free-trade agreements, and cooperating with the World Trade Organization to cut foreign tariffs.

Secondly, trade must be made fair among partners to have a level playing field. "Imports are not bad," Padilla say. "Unfairly traded imports are what's bad." Consequently, Bush will make sure anti-dumping laws are applied, which has been already done about 25 times during the first three years of the Bush Administration. Foreign trade promotion is a third area to be emphasized, Padilla says. Because strong trade makes available goods and services of all types at any time for all consumers at a lower cost, the concept will be well promoted internationally.

Lastly, President Bush realizes that trade can be both good and bad for US jobs, says Padilla. His plan to help those who are hurt by foreign trade include vigorous trade-law enforcement, more money for new skills training for workers and workforce development for employers, and less federal regulation to lower business costs.