The Dow Chemical Co., along with coating and laminating equipment manufacturer Nordmeccanica Group, will reveal trial results in new, sustainable flexible packaging at the CPP EXPO in Las Vegas, Oct. 5-7.

Nancy Smith, commercial development manager for Dow Adhesives and Functional Polymers, and Giancarlo Caimmi, vice president of equipment supplier Nordmeccanica, will present samples and data from the groundbreaking sustainable packaging lamination demonstration trial conducted jointly on Earth Day 2009.

via Sustainable flex-pack lamination data to be presented at CPP EXPO – 2009-09-29 14:17:15 MDT | Converting Magazine.

By Katie Bird , 29-Sep-2009 www.cosmeticsdesign.com

When it comes to environmentally friendly packaging some of the most important savings are being missed through poor recycling options – and this applies to all plastics bio- and fossil fuel-based.

New advances in bioplastics, plastic resins that use plant carbon instead of carbon from fossil fuels, are the current hot topic in the world of green packaging.

via Green packaging is more about improving recycling than new materials.

Via www.cosmeticsdesign.com 29th Sept 2009

Focusing on the increasingly popular trend for faded special effects in plastic packaging, Clariant has launched a new more economical reflective technology.

The company introduced the fade special effect at the HBA show in 2008, and says that it has expanded its capabilities in the area because it has proved to be so popular with personal care and cosmetics providers.

The technology now includes increasingly sophisticated colors and layer combinations, which serve to provide a variety of finishes, from the very subtle, to bolder and more provocative designs, the company says.

Read the full article at: Clariant launches new technology for color fade plastics.

Kraft Foods is poised to launch a hostile bid for Cadbury valuing the British confectionery business at around £11bn. The takeover panel is preparing this week to set the American group a deadline by which time it must put a firm offer on the table – or walk away for at least six months.

City sources say Kraft could bid 800p a share, which could rise to 850p as the bid battle reaches its climax over the 60-day limit set by the panel for takeovers.

via Kraft ready to offer £11bn for Cadbury | Business | The Observer.

Simeon Goldstein, packagingnews.co.uk, 25 September 2009

Fashion designer Paul Smith has created a special edition bottle for Evian water that goes on sale next month.

The design gives a vibrant, young look to the Evian bottle for the Christmas party season to contrast with typically dark winter tones.

Comment: I like these & think they look great – certainly ‘vibrant & simple‘. Clever use of Paul Smith for marketing effect following this very topical ‘London fashion week’. Chris Penfold

Read more & see pics here: http://tinyurl.com/ybrzbsx

Josh Brooks, packagingnews.co.uk, 24 September 2009

Ireland’s plastic bag tax is to double under new laws expected to be published next month.

The current 22 euro cent tax on every single-use carrier distributed would double to 44 cents, around 40p, under the proposals.

Comment: It’s great to see the Irish government taking initiatives to reduce POS use of plastic bags, but I still believe  that targeting plastic bags is a political stunt that takes everyone’s eyes off the ‘bigger picture’. There are ‘bigger fish to fry’ such as the 30% food waste generated every day by most households, which used huge amounts of energy and resource to grow it, farm it, transport it, package it, take it home, store it in the fridge – only to be thrown away – let’s get a sense of perspective here! Chris Penfold

Read the full article here: http://tinyurl.com/ydpcrrn

Simeon Goldstein, packagingnews.co.uk, 25 September 2009

FMCG giant Unilever has made a binding offer to buy the personal care division of US firm Sara Lee Corporation for EUR 1.275bn.

The Anglo-Dutch firm said today the acquisition would add a “strong stable of brands”, such as Sanex, Radox and Duschdas, to a category that it considers a key driver for growth, particularly in Western Europe and Asia.

Read the full article here: http://tinyurl.com/y8ctz8k

Simeon Goldstein, packagingnews.co.uk, 25 September 2009

Six UK DIY retailers and brands have signed up to a Courtauld-style voluntary agreement to reduce packaging and waste to landfill.

Argos, B&Q, Focus, Henkel, Homebase and Wickes have agreed to achieve a 15% packaging reduction and halve waste to landfill by the end of 2012

Read the full article here: DIY sector gets its own ‘Courtauld’ commitment | packagingnews.co.uk.

Design Cognition, packaging consultants &  designers based in Nottingham, are proud to announce that Technical Director Anne Dallison has been awarded Fellowship of The Packaging Society, part of The Institute of Materials, Minerals & Mining (IOM3).

Managing Director, Chris Penfold said “Having spent over 30 years working within the packaging industry, her award is justly deserved – she is one of only a handful of female Fellows in the country”. Well done Annie!

It is believed that the IOM3 assessors were particularly impressed with Annie’s extensive & in-depth experience, where she has played a proactive role in all of the companies in which she has worked, extolling the importance of packaging for the success of brands and products.

Annie has also taken great interest in the changes and the impact of the ever growing demands of legislative and regulatory requirements affecting the Packaging Industry, where she has worked hard to minimise the impact of these requirements for Brand image and product appearance, whilst at the same time developing robust processes for the application of the changes when necessary.

For many years Annie has been an active member of Institute of Packaging Pharmaceutical Forum (cross-company common interest group) whom she represents on the European CEN Braille Forum. Over the years Annie has been integral in receiving a number of Star Pack and World Star awards for packaging as well as European and global patents.

Her passion extends to developing young people into the industry, taking great pleasure in teaching, coaching and mentoring them.  Many people that she has trained have developed into some of the best Packaging Technologists in the industry.

Affiliated to this, Annie has also taken an active role working with local schools, providing an introductions to Packaging and with design students from local universities, either as their manager during their industrial placements or as sponsor/mentor for their final year projects.

Following on from this, Chris Penfold, also a Committee member of The Packaging Society, East Midlands Branch said “We are also keen to bring younger blood into the Fellowship and generate a stronger female representation.”

If you believe that you have the necessary qualities and wish to find put more, please contact Julie Bowers at IOM3: julie.bowers@iom3.org       Tel: +44 (0)1782 221709

Chris Penfold 24th September 2009

Interesting piece of work – watch this space (Annie)

Thursday, September 17, 2009

Going live – EFPIA pilot project makes debutIt was a rather soft launch in Sweden today, but an important moment for industry and patients.The EFPIA pilot project, testing a product verification system in pharmacy based on the use of a two-dimensional data-matrix went live today in Sweden. There was not an official ‘hard launch’ that will come, but earlier this morning three pharmacies began to use the system. Another 20+ will go live next week.

via EFPIA.