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Packaging firms take cost-cutting actions
GALVESTON, TEXAS (July 3, 4:50 p.m.) -- Pliant Corp. and other plastics packaging makers have learned to do more with less — and that´s a good thing for consumers, Pliant technical director John Cook said at the recent Flexpo 2008 conference in Galveston.

Plastic bag-ban plans popping up across US
MANHATTAN BEACH, CALIF. (July 3, 4:50 p.m. EDT) -- Manhattan Beach has banned the use of petroleum- and bio-based plastic carryout bags, and Rhode Island and New York have bills awaiting governors’ signatures, which would make them the second and third states to mandate plastic bag recycling at larger retailers.

Australian state proposes bag ban
ADELAIDE, AUSTRALIA (July 2, 12:05 p.m. EDT) -- Retailers say a proposed ban in the state of South Australia on free high density polyethylene shopping bags would be simply “poor politics.”

Recycling bills pending in New York, Rhode Island
NEW YORK (July 1, 1:40 p.m. EDT) -- Plastic bag recycling bills awaiting governors´ signatures would make New York and Rhode Island the second and third states in the U.S. to mandate statewide in-store plastic bag recycling.

CCL investing $25 million in Asian expansions
TORONTO (June 23, 12:45 p.m. EDT) -- Canadian packaging supplier CCL Industries Inc. plans to build four new plants, in China, India, Thailand and Vietnam, and will expand facilities in China and Japan.

Ecoproducts saving firms some green
AKRON, OHIO (June 20, 2:20 p.m. EDT) -- Whether they’re downsizing plastic laundry jugs or switching from glass to plastic mayonnaise jars, consumer-products manufacturers and retailers are moving toward sustainability goals with varying degrees of fanfare.

American Packaging expanding in Rochester
ROCHESTER, N.Y. (June 19, 11:45 a.m. EDT) -- American Packaging Corp. plans to add 25 jobs and 15,000 square feet to its Rochester headquarters plant as part of a $9.3 million project to boost the company’s tandem extrusion coating and lamination abilities.

Linpac opens PVC film plant in China
CHANGZHOU, CHINA (June 19, 8:20 a.m. EDT) — Linpac Group’s packaging division has opened its first plant in China, to make PVC stretch film for food packaging. The Changzhou facility opened this month with two extrusion lines for large-scale production for food manufacturers, suppliers and retailers. It will employ 60.

India´s Polyplex eyeing North America
BANGKOK, THAILAND (June 18, 4:45 p.m. EDT) -- Polyplex Group, the world’s fourth-largest maker of thin PET film, may set up its first production in North America, likely in Mexico.

Singapore extruder opens cast film plant
SINGAPORE (June 16, 10:45 a.m. EDT) -- Singaporean film extruder and bag maker Golden Swan Industries & Trading Pte. Ltd. has set up its second plant there, for making cast film, in part to take advantage of export opportunities with Singapore’s many tariff-free trade agreements.

SPI to launch Web-based promotional effort
WASHINGTON (June 13, 4:10 p.m. EDT) -- Stung by product bans, legislative scrutiny and campaigns by groups that question the safety of plastics, the Society of the Plastics Industry Inc. plans to launch next year a multiyear, Internet-based campaign touting plastics´ benefits.

Deal boosts Dow’s roofing business
HOLYOKE, MASS. (June 13, 3:20 p.m. EDT) -- Dow Chemical Co. has expanded in commercial roofing by purchasing Stevens Roofing Systems and Stevens Geomembrane Systems.

Optimum installs 2nd 9-layer blown film line
DELAWARE, OHIO (June 13, 9:40 a.m. EDT) -- — Optimum Plastics Inc. has installed a new nine-layer blown film from Kiefel Inc. The line was commissioned June 10 at Optimum’s Delaware facility, where it will be used to make food packaging.

CFECA names Fernandez to take over for Fox
NORWALK, CALIF. (June 12, 5:15 p.m. EDT) -- The California Film Extruders and Converters Association has appointed Susan Fernandez to succeed Norma Fox as executive director. Fernandez previously was with a local architects´ association in Southern California and has a bachelor´s degree in business administration.

Dynamic enters film manufacturing
MEDIA, PA. (June 6, 2:24 p.m. EDT) -- Dynamic Solutions Unlimited LLC has entered film manufacturing. The Media consulting firm has acquired the Newmarket, Ontario, film business formerly run by Exopack LLC. Terms of the purchase were not disclosed.

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