Offset sales sag, large format grows
According to a new survey by the National Print Owners Association offset sales in 2014 are in decline. Meanwhile, sales from signs, banners, and large format are seeing growth across the board.
More at Ink World Magazine
Stratasys new innovation lab
Bre Pettis, who built up MakerBot, has launched a spinoff with MakerBot’s parent company Stratasys. Based in Brooklyn, new innovation lab Bold Machines will explore the cutting edge of 3D technology with third parties taking advantage of Stratasys’ industrial printers and resources.
More at Upstart
Pakistan packaging industry expanding
Rising exports and increasing local consumption of packaged food have caused growing demand for packaging products attracting foreign investment. But local packaging industry meets only a part of the domestic demand leaving much room for expasion, according to an article by a Pakistani newspaper.
More at Dawn
5 things to improve your color consistency
Helping companies produce accurate, consistent color is a full-time job for Dillon Mooney, Printing Industries of America’s Technical Consultant for the Center for Technology and Research. In this blog post, he provides five key improvements to achieve the consistent color a customer’s demands.
More at Printing Industries of America
Innovative compostable packaging
Ecovative is bringing an alternative to plastic protective packaging foams to Japan. But it is neither a plastic foam nor a bioplastic but actually grown from mycelium (mushroom “roots”) and low value crop waste.
More at Packaging Europe
Grants to enhance AM
Recently, additive manufacturing has rapidly advanced the production of complex-shaped metal components. However, developing complex geometries remained a problem. Now, engineers at the University of Pittsburgh’s Swanson School of Engineering are developing enhanced modeling and simulation technology and new qualification standards with a three year 300.000 USD grant funded by the National Science Foundation’s Division of Civil, Mechanical and Manufacturing Innovation.
More at Phys.org
German packaging award 2014
61 innovations are nominated for the Deutscher Verpackungspreis (German packaging award). The nominated innovations are from Germany, Austria, Witzerland, USA, UK and Netherlands and include packing machines, displays and promotion packagings,
More at neue verpackung
Universal Flexible Packaging invests in new factory
Universal Flexible Packaging, a flexible film manufacturer and contract packer for the food industry, has announced an 11m £ investment in a new site and equipment in Leicester .The new site is 36,500 m² and creates more than 56 new jobs.
More at Packaging News