The Converting Curmudgeon

July 2, 2009 | Link This | Email this | Comments (0)

R.I.P. KODACHROME Film 1935-2009.

It lived a long and busy life, but Kodak's world-famous color print film has officially been retired after 74 years on active duty. 

For me, it's kinda like a death in the family. My father was an avid amateur photographer who shot thousands (and I mean, thousands) of Ektachrome slides back in the 1950s and 60s. They are gathering dust...and hopefully not mold...in a closet somewhere at my sister's house. Then, as the quintessential AV nerd at my 1970s junior high school, I spent every dime I made mowing l...Read More

Industries: Coater/ Laminator, Flexible Packaging, Inks Coatings and Adhesives, Label & Narrow Web, Machinery, Materials and Substrates, Package Printing, Paperboard/Cartons, Printed Electronics/RFID

June 23, 2009 | Link This | Email this | Comments (0)

Packaging companies are taking advantage of resuscitating credit markets and refinancing their existing debt with shorter-term investments. BMO Capital Markets' June issue of The Converter looked at 28 North American packaging companies and came up with the following data:

"At the end of 2008, there was approximately $39.5 billion in debt outstanding to the 28 companies. The majority of packaging debt maturities are in excess of five years, with approximately 40%, or $16.0 billion, of all debt outstanding maturing in 2014 or later."

�� The largest amount of debt outstanding of any one company is $3.6 billion, with a $1.8-billion term loan as the largest debt facility.

The type of debt varies across packaging sectors:

&...Read More
Industries: Components and Accessories, Flexible Packaging, Inks Coatings and Adhesives, Label & Narrow Web, Machinery, Materials and Substrates, Package Printing, Paperboard/Cartons

June 18, 2009 | Link This | Email this | Comments (0)

One idea that stood out at this week's PRINT 09 Media Days seems to me to be the inevitable "digital future" of package printing and converting--especially when it comes to labels and folding cartons.

Honestly, I wasn't paying strict attention to the Xerox presentation until they announced that the Xerox iGEN Automated Packaging Solution (at left) would be on display. Powered by the iGEN4 digi...Read More
Industries: Flexible Packaging, Label & Narrow Web, Machinery, Package Printing, Paperboard/Cartons, Printed Electronics/RFID

June 15, 2009 | Link This | Email this | Comments (0)

As I'm getting ready to leave for PRINT Media Days in downtown Chicago, here's another quick post on the subject of "what trade shows might make up for CMM." 

As I mentioned 10 days ago, converting is NOT just printing...but, it certainly is a lot about printing. And this time around, the quadrennial PRINT that will fill the North and South Halls of McCormick Place seems to be successful in bringing the PackPrint show to life. Specifically, look for 50,000 sq ft of display space dedicated to package-printing technologies. Among the exhibitors: Bobst Group North America, BR Moll, Brause Group, Koerber Paperlink, Biel...Read More

Industries: Flexible Packaging, Label & Narrow Web, Package Printing, Paperboard/Cartons, Sustainability

June 10, 2009 | Link This | Email this | Comments (0)

In case CMM Intl. left you asking for more, the next edition of CPP EXPO opens in Las Vegas in four months. It's running alongside PACK EXPO at the local Convention Ctr. again, and, while I said in my last post that converting ultimately is a lot more than just packaging, it certainly is a lot about packaging. In fact, in surveys done over the years, the favorite trade show of converters (beyond CMM) has always been PACK EXPO. 

With about 70 exhibitors now, CPP is half again as small as last week's CMM. But this time around, it's prominently positioned on the main floor of the Vegas center. ...Read More

Industries: Components and Accessories, Flexible Packaging, Label & Narrow Web, Machinery, Materials and Substrates, Package Printing, Paperboard/Cartons, Supplies and Services