Supplier Side
Yupo Makes the Papers
Synthetic-paper manufacturer Yupo Corp. America (Chesapeake, VA) has introduced a new UV printable grade of paper for commercial printing, converting, and labeling applications.
Previously, Yupo papers required a primer coating before being printed with UV inks. The new Yupo FPR 200 grade can be UV printed without a primer, improving efficiency and cost-efficiency.
Portola Adds Thick-Walled Jar
Portola Tech International (Woonsocket, RI) has added a new thick-walled jar to its stock line. The 30-ml jar has a neck diameter of 48 mm. It is made from PETG, which, according to Portola, combines the elegance of glass with the practicality of plastic. Jar covers in neck sizes of 48-400 are available in 10 stock styles to complement the jar.
Other offerings in Portola’s line of thick-walled jars include four other stock designs in sizes of 5, 7, 15, and 50 ml. The jars can be clear or color matched for a tinted, opaque, or frosted look. In-house decoration options include hot stamping, silk-screening, metallizing, and more.
Rock-Tenn Creates Specialty Division
Rock-Tenn Co. (Norcross, GA) announced a reorganization of its folding-carton divisions. The changes are an effect of the firm’s acquisition of nine plants from Gulf States Paper Corp.
The changes include the creation of a new specialty folding-carton division. The division will include three Rock-Tenn plants and two plants known as Resolution Packaging.
FiberMark Favors Britney Spears
FiberMark (Brattleboro, VT), a supplier of specialty fiber-based materials for packaging, chose the Britney Spears Curious fragrance cartons as its 12th annual Specifier Awards Best In Show winner. The Specifier Awards highlight what FiberMark deems the year’s most innovative package designs that use FiberMark materials.
For the Curious carton, FiberMark custom-developed a matte 18-point vat-dyed board in a premium black color. The board was used to create a secondary lid that covers the primary fragrance carton. The board was die-cut with holes that allow the shiny foil carton beneath to show through.
“FiberMark materials are durable, strong, and designed to be compatible with a wide variety of manufacturing and secondary decorating processes,” says Pam Hutchinson, vice president of FiberMark. “The Curious [paper] featured a great deal of embossing and die-cutting.”
Other Specifier Award winners in the beauty category included packages by Estée Lauder, The Spa, and Ann Taylor and Armani fragrances. Entries were judged on overall appearance, decoration, printing quality, design, use of color, construction quality, and the relationship of the material to the product.
Sweeping Style
Qosmedix (Edgewood, NY) has introduced a new lightweight, retractable powder brush. The 4-in.-long brush features domed goat-hair bristles. The brush’s handle and cap are made from matte aluminum.
The supplier’s other recent developments include a compressed-rayon facial mask and a lip balm container. The facial mask expands to a full-sized tissue face mask when placed in cool or warm liquid. The lip balm container is suited for lip balm, solid makeup, or fragrance. The polypropylene container comes in white, black, and natural.
Novapak Named NACD Supplier of the Year
The National Association of Container Distributors (NACD; Naperville, IL) named Novapak Corp. (Eatontown, NJ) its Supplier of the Year. The announcement was made at the association’s 80th annual convention held April 13–17.
As the winner, Novapak was selected based on points received from NACD’s member companies. The company was ranked on leadership, product and support staff, communication, marketing, training, shipping, legislative and regulatory, technology, and policies.
Bill Bergen, Novapak’s president and CEO, and Ken Stufko, vice president of sales, accepted the award. Other companies considered for this year’s award included manufacturers of plastic, glass, and metal containers. Novapak produces PET, PVC, and polypropylene containers for the personal care industry.
CCL Gets Sexy
CCL Container (Hermitage, PA) was chosen to provide the aluminum packaging for Sexy Hair Concepts’ Curly Sexy Hair 24/7 Curls hairspray.
The 24/7 Curls package is CCL Container’s Comfort Hold aerosol can, which is designed with contours that fit comfortably in a consumer’s hand. The can was decorated in a cobalt-blue base color and accented with silver and red graphics.
“The shape was not only attractive, it also helped introduce the product concept, planting the idea of curls early in the consumer’s mind,” says Donna Federici, senior vice president of sales and marketing for Sexy Hair Concepts.
Markem Enhances Web Site
Markem Corp. (Keene, NH), a company specializing in RFID solutions, has launched a new enhanced Web site located at www.markem.us. According to Markem, the Web site offers improved navigation, enhanced technology pages, increased global content, and ways for companies to identify the best products for their applications.
The Web site’s enhanced technology pages include features such as video and animation that demonstrate how Markem products work. Through the Web site, Markem customers, distributors, and OEMs also have the option to sign up for the myMarkem program, a 24-hours-a-day, 7-days-a-week service and support resource.
Airspray Announces New Facility and Launch
Airspray International Inc. (Pompano Beach, FL) announced the company’s plans to increase its plant space in both The Netherlands and Pompano Beach, FL.
The company has signed a lease to add a second building near its main plant in Alkmaar, The Netherlands. Both plants in The Netherlands will make all of the parts for Airspray’s airless dispensers. The new Netherlands facility will allow for increased production and capacity.
Airspray’s U.S. expansion will take place in the next half-year, according to the company. The company says the United States is where half of the final assembly for the company’s global demand takes place.
In other news, Airspray has announced the launch of Colgate-Palmolive’s new Softsoap Advanced Protection antibacterial instant-foam hand soap, which features Airspray’s foam dispenser.
Alpha Brings Tuscany to Customers
Alpha Packaging (St. Louis) has added a new style to its line of PET jars, in response to requests from personal care manufacturers looking for a unique jar profile. The Tuscany jars are available in sizes of 250 and 500 ml. They are suited for a variety of personal care products, including creams, ointments, pastes, and dry products such as powders, crystals, and bath salts.
The Tuscany jars were built using existing preforms. The production tooling was built in-house by the company’s design and engineering team. The 250-ml jar has a 70-400 neck finish, and the 500-ml jar has an 89-400 neck finish. The company also announced plans to create more jar sizes depending on customer requests.
TricorBraun Acquires Cal-West Tool & Mold
Packaging distributor TricorBraun (St. Louis) has acquired Cal-West Tool & Mold, a custom designer and manufacturer of blow molds. The acquisition broadens TricorBraun’s in-house capabilities.
In conjunction with the acquisition, TricorBraun Design Group has changed its name to TricorBraun Design & Engineering. The division is now poised to offer an integrated single source for rigid-package design and development services.
Weber Upgrades RFID Program
Weber Marking Systems Inc. (Arlington Heights, IL) has developed a new RFID Ready program, which offers Weber label printers and printer-applicators that can be easily upgraded in the future with further RFID technology.
The RFID Ready models include select stand-alone printers and Weber’s Model 5200 printer-applicator. These can be modified to multiprotocol encoders that support the most up-to-date EPC-compatible and other ultra-high-frequency standards.
“The RFID Ready option is available to ensure companies still in the RFID discovery process have the right technology to support RFID implementation as labeling requirements evolve,” says Ann Marie Phaneuf, Weber’s marketing director. “We want to protect our customers’ investments in the printers and printer-applicators they need today, while providing a migration path to the RFID technology they will need in the future.”
Outsourcing Boosts Capabilities
Outsourcing Services Group LLC (OSG; Woodcliff Lake, NJ), a contract formulator and manufacturer of cosmetics and personal care products, recently purchased all of the assets of Tiro Industries LLC, which filed for bankruptcy.
Prior to its bankruptcy, Tiro Industries was a leading formulator and manufacturer of personal care products primarily for the hair care market. The Tiro assets purchased by OSG include high-speed aerosol and liquid-filling equipment, as well as Tiro’s patents, trademarks, and product formulas. The acquisition of these assets expands OSG’s capacity and resources.
Printer Produces Bar Codes, Photos
Primera Technology (Plymouth, MN) has introduced a new label printer that prints full-color, photo-quality images and graphics on labels, as well as bar codes. The LX800 ink jet printer prints graphics at a photo-quality resolution of 4800 dpi, and prints labels that are water and scratch resistant.
According to Primera, cosmetic manufacturers are using the printer to print short runs of product labels. Substrates can include matte-finish labels, as well as semi- and high-gloss materials.
The printer comes equipped with printer drivers for Windows 2000/ XP, along with a label design software called NiceLabel SE, Primera Edition.