Packaging printing is increasingly becoming a global business, with brand owners expanding their businesses across the world, and expecting their packaging suppliers to do the same. As a result, printers expect their ink suppliers to be ready to support them internationally as well.
 
With that in mind, the National Association of Printing Ink Manufacturers (NAPIM) has selected “Globalization: Ready or Not” as he theme for the upcoming National Printing Ink Research Institute (NPIRI) Technical Conference. The conference, which will be held Tuesday, Oct. 7 end ends on Thursday, Oct. 9 at the Lincolnshire Marriott, Lincolnshire, IL, will have a mix of packaging and regulatory talks that showcase how global the ink industry is becoming.
 
George Fuchs, director of regulatory affairs and technology for NAPIM, said that the conference program is ambitious.
 
“We have a tremendous program,” Fuchs said. “The theme is ‘Globalization – Ready or Not?’ We will talk about global and market issues. One of the drivers is that our customers’ customers are becoming increasingly multinational, and that reverberates down the supply chain.”
 
Changes aren’t only happening in the industry. There are a number of changes in this year’s conference as well, most notably with the move of the golf outing to the morning of Oct. 7, and the elimination of concurrent sessions in favor of having a morning and afternoon session on Oct. 8.
 
“We have completely revised the schedule based on feedback,” said Fuchs. “Golf will now be held on the morning of the first day. The second day will have no concurrent sessions, but will be run so members can attend all of the talks.”
 
In addition to the golf outing, NAPIM is offering two Short Courses on the morning of Oct. 7:
 
• “Developing GHS Compliant Safety Data Sheets for Ink Formulations,” presented by Denese Deeds of IHS Solutions.
• “Complying with Harmonized DOT/UN Shipping Regulations – Proper Classification of Hazardous Materials,” led by Brian Karnovsky of ERC.
 
 “Our Short Courses are hands-on and designed to help attendees learn procedures to appropriately classify materials,” Fuchs noted.
 
On Oct. 7, the conference starts after lunch with keynote speaker Mike Ferrari, president and founder of Ferrari Innovation Solutions, LLC, who will cover “Print Delights: How the Ink Industry Can Prosper.” Ferrari is a former Procter & Gamble executive who will discuss packaging and supply chain management.
 
After Ferrari, Eric Greenberg , a prominent food and drug lawyer, will cover “Inks on Food Packaging — Food for Thought,” a look at the importance of understanding food safety regulations. Janice Robinson of the European Printing Ink Association (EuPIA) will then offer her insights into the food contact materials legislation in the EU.
 
“Mike is a great speaker, and will be talking on innovation in packaging and how supply chain plays a role,” Fuchs noted. “Janice Robinson of EuPIA will discuss the latest developments in Europe, such as the German Ordinance, Swiss Ordinance and how these are having an impact over here, as EU leads the way in health and safety in packaging.”
 
Brad Bergey, NAPIM’s executive director, will then present the findings from NAPIM’s annual State of the Industry Report, and the opening session will close with the presentation by the NPIRI Lecture Winner and an Exhibitor Reception with Tabletops & Showcases.
 
As noted before, the Wednesday, Oct. 8 session will consist of a morning and afternoon program. The morning session will begin with a talk by BASF’s Frank Reinhold, who will cover “Barrier Coatings Technology.” Reinhold will discuss how barrier properties can be achieved with a formulated coating applied by printing and coating processes. Dennis Olszanksi of DURA Chemical will analyze “Drier Technology.”
 
Jeanine Snyder of Air Products will follow with her insights into “Press Side Additives and Activities.” Snyder will discuss conventional waterborne ink formulations and the additives used, such as dispersants, surfactants and defoamers. In particular, she will analyze the interrelationships between the additives, and how choosing the proper additives can aid the formulator in developing optimal ink formulations.
 
The conference then moves to equipment, with Shawn McManus of Hockmeyer Equipment covering “Immersion Milling Technology,” and resins, with Bob Gaal of Kane International analyzing “Polyurethane Resins – Trends in Packaging,” with an eye on the four main categories of polyurethane resins for flexible food packages.
 
After lunch, the focus is on regulatory matters, with Mark Hepp of Keller and Heckman covering “Packaging Migration Testing.” Hepp is a former FDA regulator, and he will offer his insights into this area. Paul Share of BASF will discuss “Opportunities and Challenges for Energy Curable Technology in Food Packaging Applications.” Deeds returns with “OSHA Hazcom 2012 (GHS) Update,” while Karnovsky will offer “Transportation Regulatory Update.” Fuchs will close the afternoon session with his “Ink Industry EHS Update.” The Reception & Awards Dinner will follow that evening.
 
The Oct. 9 session begins with Bill Bonallo of IST America, who will cover “Energy Curable Printing – Ink, Equipment and Technology Update.” Kevin Dunn of the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) will discuss “Nano Technology and the Graphic Arts – Dusts and Aerosols – What You Need to Know,” a discussion of the research on toxicologic properties of nanomaterials, as well as best handling practices.
 
Dr. Harry Zervos of IDTechEx will offer his insights on printed electronics in his talk, “Overview and Update on Conductive Inks and Printed Electronics,” which IDTechEx expects will grow into a $70 billion business within the next 10 years.
 
KBA’s Walter Chmura will cover “Press Manufacturers – Technology Update,” and Loris Lemon of Western Michigan University will close the conference with “Graphic Communication Curriculum- Academic Perspective.”
 
After the NPIRI Technical Conference, NAPIM’s next major event is the 100^th anniversary of NAPIM, which will be celebrated during its Annual Convention, March 20-23, 2015 at Ponte Vedra Inn & Club, Ponte Vedra FL. The theme of the convention will be “100th Anniversary of NAPIM – A Century of Successes and Commitment to the Future.”
 
For more information or to register for the NPIRI Technical Conference, contact NAPIM at [email protected], or call NAPIM at (770) 209-7289.