“Time [(tIm)] Old English tima, of Germanic origin; n.: indefinite and continuous duration regarded as that in which events succeed one another.” An element of priceless value. Today’s frenetic lifestyle daily engages us in a race against this element. In the converting industry, too, the time factor holds an important, economically quantifiable position.

“No barrier can prevent those who strive from achieving their goals.”- Rich Lewis

The first sparks of the internal combustion engine were given off in Lucca.

Drupa, the four-yearly exhibition for the world of printing and graphics, was held from May 6th to 19th, at the Messe, Dusseldorf’s exhibition centre. The 17 pavilions of the Messe hosted for 14 days 1862 exhibitors and more than 394,000 visitors from 122 countries; such figures testify to the worldwide importance of this event.

This was the slogan of the Körber PaperLink Group at Drupa 2004

The annual Private Label meeting, held in Amsterdam from May 24th to 26th, focussed on the growth of retailer products, underscoring relationships between retailers and suppliers.

Cascades Tissue Group has quietly grown to become a major player on the North American market. Perini Journal recently spoke with the company’s president and CEO, Suzanne Blanchet. All indications are the further growth is planned with the emphasis on the USA.

SCA hasn’t entered the North American tissue market in a small way. The new Barton mill in northwest Alabama is big and efficient, giving SCA a better position from which to grow with the expanding Southeast market, as well as helping the company to secure its paper supply.

America consumes today some ten million tons of tissue products, of which North America accounts for 78%. But the markets in Central and South America are developing rapidly and offer tissue companies expansion opportunities.

The Metso Tissue Making conference in Karlstad was one of the best ever held as far as content, offering a good mix of market trends and technological developments. The well-rounded program, combined with enjoyable social events, made the two-day meeting a very good one.

Jaime de Sousa of Santher describes the launch of the company's new dispenser line. A totally innovative dispenser born to confer added value to the product and consolidate Santher as a modern and innovative company, with a high quality standard.

Lifestyes change with the passing of time. And so do habits and customs.

Matthew Crabbe, the founder of Access Asia, has spent over 10 years researching and writing about consumer markets in China, specialising in the retail market there, and tracking the huge changes that have occurred in the Chinese economy since the late 1980s. In these pages he has traced the current situation of retail chains in China.

The increase of the main players of the field is the driving force behind this business. So the positive trend is continuing. Press and television enlarge their shares.

The steady increase in tissue production is, today, leading to a slight overcapacity, especially in the Central European area. That’s why more and more mills are focused on boosting their paper quality in terms of handfeel, softness and bulk, in order to be able to better sell all their production on the market.

Elettric 80, which has become 100% Italian again after a few years spent in the Swiss group SIG, confirms its character as innovative company in the field of integrated logistics systems.

Capability of interpreting market changes, ability to listen to customers, team-work aimed at finding solutions. KPL Packaging launches the new napkin packaging machine Casmatic F450BP, ideated for an emerging market.

SCA is investing in an ambitious manufacturing and logistics program in France in order to improve its competitiveness. Fabio Perini SpA, as best partner of SCA, is taking part in this challenge.

Originally invented with the idea of protecting the tobacco contained inside, in the course of the previous century, the picture cards once found inside cigarette packets have become much-sought-after collectors’ items and an effective means of advertising.

The history of the book is a long and peculiar one, strictly inter-woven with that of writing itself with which it is often identified, sometimes generating a little confusion. It is not easy for modern men to imagine 3000-year-old stones engraved with phrases as the forefathers of modern books, which we are used to reading comfortably seated on our sofa.

One of America’s oldest papermaking companies, Crane & Company is also the producer of the banknote paper for the US dollar. Here we take a look at the historical traditions behind this company that is leading the development of state-of-the-art technology to fight fake copies of the world’s most important currency.