Global Packaging Alliance Holds Annual Meeting in Hong Kong

Rochester, NY – The Global Packaging Alliance (GPA) recently held its annual meeting in Hong Kong, providing an ideal forum for its members to review industry trends and the latest developments in packaging innovation and sustainability. The group also focused on ways to further support international brands in growth markets.

GPA members opened the meeting by discussing packaging trends in their respective markets and sharing the latest developments in their packaging operations, including equipment investments, technical advancements, process improvements, new materials, and operating data for benchmarking.

The agenda also included a review of market developments in the Middle East and India with the possibility of adding a company to the GPA’s current network in these regions. With this in mind, the next GPA annual conference is scheduled to take place in India in early 2012.

“Our customers – mostly international brand manufacturers – have already indicated a need for support, especially in the Middle East and India,” said Hans-Christian Bestehorn, GPA president and CEO of the rlc | packaging group, a charter member of the GPA. “As a result, the GPA is looking at ways to increase its presence in these regions.”

The group continues to focus on ways to further support international brands in emerging markets while significantly reducing time-to-market.

“Global presence is an increasingly important success factor,” Bestehorn adds. “Products need to reach the market more quickly and be made available on a global scale. A single, medium-sized packaging company is hardly in a position to meet the demands of global brand manufacturers. The GPA fills this gap by coordinating production processes and methods, implementing identical quality standards, and assuming global packaging management responsibility across the entire value chain. Production in each case can take place locally. This makes it possible to ensure a consistent brand presence and shorten the time to market.”

The exchange of experience related to topics at this year's GPA conference has already proven effective. For example, the U.S.-based GPA member Diamond Packaging and the rlc | packaging group are working together on the development of their Green Chic™ sustainable finishing techniques. Also, the rlc | packaging group’s brandpack concept – an in-house center for packaging design integrating material, graphic, design, and finishing effects – is being adapted by others members, including South Africa-based Masterpack.

The rlc | packaging group also announced that it will join the Consumer Goods Forum as a GPA representative to bring global developments and trends in the consumer goods market into the network.

About GPA

The Global Packaging Alliance is an international organization of independent packaging experts proficient at managing all aspects of the supply chain. With state-of-the-art production facilities and logistics centers around the world, the GPA provides responsive, localized service, award-winning creative designs, identical product specifications and consistent brand recognition, resulting in unparalleled global packaging support. Members include:

• Diamond Packaging - Rochester, NY, USA
• rlc | packaging group - Hannover, Germany
• Colorpak Limited - Melbourne, Australia
• Gonçalves SA Indústria Gráfica - Sao Paolo, Brazil
• Polygrafoformlenie Flexo - St. Petersburg, Russia
• Yau Bon Offset Printing - Shenzhe,n China
• Cartmont Packaging - Tlalnepantla, Mexico
• Kumar Printers - Gurgaon, India
• Masterpack - Johannesburg, South Africa

GPA members practice packaging management geared toward the needs of international companies, including Bayer, Beiersdorf, GlaxoSmithKline, Kraft Foods, L’Oreal, Nestlé, Procter & Gamble, Schering Plough, and Unilever. This includes designing and producing innovative paperboard and plastic packaging, as well as providing logistical services such as fulfillment and POP management. The GPA’s goal is to support clients in launching new brands or products, while significantly reducing time-to-market. For more information about the Global Packaging Alliance, contact Dennis Bacchetta at (585) 334-8030 x229 or visit the website at www.global-packaging-alliance.com.

Founded in 1911, Diamond Packaging is a WBENC-certified woman-owned business specializing in developing innovative and sustainable packaging solutions. Utilizing state of-the-art technologies, Diamond designs and manufactures paperboard and plastic folding cartons, and provides comprehensive contract packaging services for the personal care (cosmetics & skin care, fragrance, hair care), health care, pharmaceutical, nutraceutical, and food and confectionery industries. Its client portfolio includes Bausch & Lomb, Beiersdorf, Coty, Elizabeth Arden, Estée Lauder, Godiva Chocolatier, Johnson & Johnson, L’Oreal, and Procter & Gamble. As part of the Global Packaging Alliance® (GPA), Diamond and its alliance members offer packaging solutions to companies operating on an international scale. Customers receive responsive, localized service, award-winning creative designs, identical product specifications and consistent brand recognition, resulting in unparalleled worldwide packaging support. For more information about Diamond Packaging, contact Dennis Bacchetta at (585) 334-8030 x229 or visit the website at www.diamondpackaging.com. For more information about Diamond’s greenbox initiative, visit the sustainability microsite at www.diamondpackaging.com/green.