The Procurement Process

Corporate sourcing initiatives, reverse auctions and RFPs. This session will provide insight to help you better manage these components of the procurement process.

Winning: How One Independent Goes to Battle

Bill Raaths, CEO of Great Northern Corporation (GNC) and former CEO of Anchor Foods/McCain Snack Foods, will share his vision on doing battle as an independent. GNC's products and services include high-end graphics, POP displays and protective packaging. Raaths will discuss his strategy for "doing battle" and the importance of competitive positioning, the role of technology and collaboration opportunities.

The Effect of Simultaneous Imaging and Direct UV Main Exposure on Digital Flexo Plates and Sleeves

One of the perceived concerns that continues to plague the flexo market is print quality. This session will cover:

• New technology to enhance print quality and impact plate production times.

• Dot shapes and structures available from the use of digital flexo plates and sleeves.

• New and different techniques that provide greater quality and sharpness in results.

Understanding this technology will enable FPPA members to expand their opportunities with consumer product companies.

Remote Digital Proofing: Contract Color and Content Proofing at Remote Sites

Many pre-press and design agencies have people working at the brand owner's site. Digital proofs are made and approved at the print buyer sites. These remote proofs have to match the output produced in the pre-press department for flexo packaging. This requires an all-digital workflow where local and remote proofing is integrated and where proofs are generated with press characteristics in mind.

The Internet enables clients to collaborate with the pre-press shop to soft proof content or generate a hard copy proof on their local proofing device, thereby shortening the approval cycle. Remote proofing is more than just finding the right devices; it requires an integrated approach to consistently manage colors throughout the proofing process.

Forensically-Invisible Brand Protection Packaging

Brand theft costs an estimated $450 billion a year, worldwide. Most companies attempt to detect product counterfeiting to prevent losses but most current security solutions are detectable by sight or touch and can be easily copied by counterfeiters.

Kodak has developed a new forensically-invisible identification and brand authentication technology that provides low-cost protection against product counterfeiting. The Traceless. solution creates a unique, forensically-invisible identification code in product tags or packaging.

This presentation will discuss:

• Global counterfeiting costs and driving market dynamics.

• Anti-counterfeiting terminology.

• Overview of existing systems.

• The role of RFID.

• Technology overview and demonstration of the Traceless. solution.

New In-The-Round Production Technology

• Why hasn't ITR been widely used in the past?

• How does the new technology differ from other processes?

• Step-by-step walkthrough of the new ITR process. . Print samples and customer feedback.

Integrated Direct Digital Solution for Corrugated Platemakers

Looking for a digital workflow-compatible system that allows for production of an integrated, press-ready article? A new solution is being developed that can eliminate many labor steps and costs and increase quality.

This session will discuss this new integrated solution and focus on the value to the corrugated platemaker in terms of savings and turnaround time. Various optional configurations will be presented and audience feedback and discussion is encouraged.

Customer Panel

Representatives from Albertson's, Georgia-Pacific, CP Converters and Carolina Graphic Arts will participate in this panel discussion.

Panelists will provide an overview of the latest in the flexible packaging, gravure, wide web and corrugated markets. The discussion will include ways in which brand management and print quality come into play and will include examples of what these companies are looking for from their suppliers and what they value from tradeshops.

This is a nuts-and-bolts exchange of what your customers need and want from their suppliers.

Digital Asset Management Panel

Digital Asset Management services are quickly becoming an opportunity for trade shops. Your customers are either asking for these services or expecting it as part of the package. This panel of digital asset management software providers, including representatives from Agfa Corporation, Artwork Systems and Esko-Graphics will discuss what's on the market, how to integrate with the systems you are already using and how to sell these services to your customers. If you are currently researching these services, you'll want to attend this session.