President's Message
1st Quarter | 2022
Dante Ferrari
AIMCAL President of the Board
President's Message
Hello AIMCAL members, and welcome to Q1 2022.
As I write this (late in 2021), the global economy is doing
well. Flexible packaging continues to remain strong,
and industrial markets are reawakening. Still, there are
many issues in the converting industry to keep us up at
night. Inflation is nearing record levels, job vacancies and
employee mobility are at an all-time high, global supply
chains and logistics are a complete mess, and geopolitical
tensions continue to grow among the world’s major
powers.
AIMCAL can help. Economics reports, such as those
published in CQ by Robert Fry and those available in the
Member Area of the AIMCAL Website, www.aimcal.org,
help make sense of where the world and major economies
are headed, and what it means for our industry. AIMCAL
Jobs allows companies to advertise job postings and
people in the industry to post resumes. Members can raise
their profile to attract both new customers and suppliers
by advertising, posting Member News, posting “Ask
AIMCAL” questions or submitting entries for our annual
AIMCAL Awards. And of course, there are an almost
limitless number of technical resources to draw on in
the AIMCAL TV and Conference Proceedings libraries
in the Member Area. Members can increase employee
engagement while raising skill levels by participating in
online, hybrid or in-person Converting School classes or
having employees take the online GAA gravure training
certification program.
AIMCAL also continues to off er great networking
opportunities. In 2020 and 2021, these have meant virtual
conferences, which AIMCAL staff have done a great
job delivering to members via the Pheedloop platform.
We also presented our first in-person conference in two
years, the AIMCAL R2R USA Conference and SPE
FlexPackCon® in October 2021, co-located with ICEC
USA in Orlando, FL. Several in-person events are planned
for 2022, so mark your calendars:
• AIMCAL Executive Leadership Conference at the NASCAR Hall of Fame in Charlotte, NC, April 4-5
• AIMCAL R2R Europe in Valencia, Spain, June 6-9
• ISCST Symposium in Minneapolis, MN, Sept. 10-14
• AIMCAL R2R USA in Orlando, FL, Sept. 25-29
Before handing over the gavel to our next president, I want
to close my final President’s Message with a special thanks
to the AIMCAL staff . It is not a large staff , but its members
are dedicated and competent. Focused on delivering value
for members, they really have fulfilled AIMCAL’s mission
to “serve as the global forum for the flexible metallizing,
coating and laminating industry.” Chris, Kevin, Tim,
Mark, Lauren and Laura, thank you for keeping AIMCAL
vibrant and relevant. In 2021, in 2022…and for many
years to come!
Your humble servant,
Dante Ferrari
President of the Board - AIMCAL
Virtual Events Span the Globe
Video presentations
from the virtual
R2R event now are
available to members
on-demand in the
Member Area of the
AIMCAL Website,
www.aimcal.org.
Built on pandemic lessons learned, the inaugural virtual
R2R event made it possible for AIMCAL to recap its 2021
R2R USA Conference and present the 2021 R2R Asia
program virtually with live and recorded content, as well as
networking opportunities.
Spread across three
mornings and three
evenings (Dec. 6-9,
2021), the multi-track
agenda included
more than 140
presentations from
October’s R2R USA
Conference and the
R2R Asia Conference, which was organized in coordination
with the Korea Research Institute of Chemical Technology
(KRICT), Korea Institute of Machinery & Materials
(KIMM) and Jeonbuk National University.
“Reprising content from the R2R USA Conference, which
was held in-person in October, gives people who couldn’t
attend a chance to view sessions and also gives attendees a
chance to hear a presentation again or view presentations
from other tracks,” explains AIMCAL Executive Director
Chris Kerscher.
Presentations from the virtual R2R event may be viewed on demand in the Member Area of the AIMCAL Website,
www.aimcal.org, under Conference Proceedings.
AIMCAL Establishes Mentor Program
AIMCAL has established a Mentor Program to help
newcomers to the industry expand their knowledge and
develop their careers. Mentors and newcomers are paired
by expertise and interest areas. To share your experience
in the industry or be matched with a mentor, sign up at
www.aimcal.org/AIMCAL/Events/2021-R2R-USA/MentorProgram.aspx.
New WISE Scholarship Seeks
Donations to Create Endowed Fund
AIMCAL launched
the Women in Industry
Scholarship for Excellence
(WISE) at the 2021
AIMCAL R2R USA
Conference in Orlando,
FL (Oct. 17-21), held in
conjunction with ICEC
USA. The scholarship
is intended to commend women who have overcome
significant challenges, invested in STEM degrees, chosen
employment in the roll-to-roll converting sector and are
continuing to make important contributions in the industry.
Recipients of the scholarship will receive funds to pay down
student debt.
To date, AIMCAL has received more than $20,000 in
donations to support the scholarship. More is needed to fund
an endowment for long-term success and continue helping
women working in the web-converting fi eld. A goal of
$100,000 has been set to fund the endowment, with a Fall
2022 deadline.
Current sponsors include Davis-Standard, LLC; Celplast
Metallized Products; Nordmeccanica Group; Intellivation
LLC; and Mahlo America, Inc. Sponsors receive recognition
via the AIMCAL Website, social-media posts and an
exclusive scholarship sponsor plaque. AIMCAL has
established four levels of support:
• Diamond Sponsor at $10,000+
• Gold Sponsor at $5,000
• Silver Sponsor at $1,000
• Friends of the AIMCAL Scholarship Fund (any
amount from individuals or businesses).
AIMCAL member and nonmember companies and
individuals are welcome to participate. To donate, click
on www.aimcal.org/AIMCAL/AIMCAL-News/WISEScholarship.aspx. For more information about the WISE
Scholarship or the AIMCAL Women’s Leadership
Committee, contact 803-948-9470 or [email protected].
Hybrid Online Converting School Courses
Focus on Web Handling and Winding
AIMCAL will host two hybrid Converting School courses
early in 2022: Web Handling Month in February and Web
Winding Month in March, both taught by Dr. David R.
Roisum of Finishing Technologies. The online courses are
accessed on-demand each week and conclude each Friday
with a two-hour live Zoom session with the instructor.
These public sessions allow participants to ask questions
and support group discussion. On the final Friday, each
participant can schedule a 15-min private meeting with the
instructor.
February – Web Handling Month participants learn how
to eliminate wrinkles, baggy webs and apply effective
spreading; eliminate winding defects; design and maintain
web machinery and control systems; design web products
and processes for more reliable manufacturing; and more.
March – Web Winding Month participants learn how
to eliminate winding defects; know whether a defect is
manufacturing- or winding-related or both; match winder
and settings to product; design and maintain winding
machinery and control systems; and more.
Students who meet all course requirements receive a
Certificate of Completion. The cost per course is $699 for
members and $899 for nonmembers. Visit www.aimcal.org,
click on Education.
AIMCAL Adds 11 New Members
The AIMCAL membership roster continues to expand in
numbers and scope. The 11 newcomers represent material
suppliers, equipment manufacturers, educational institutions
and converters.
3DT LLC, SOFTAL Corona & Plasma (Germantown,
WI): Surface treatment pioneer builds corona and plasma
systems for two-dimensional (2D) materials (fi lm, foil,
web, sheets, panels, foam, labels). The firm also serves as
the North American representative for SOFTAL Corona &
Plasma GmbH, another supplier of 2D surface-treatment
systems. (262-253-6700)
Belmark, Inc. (De Pere, WI): Founded in 1977 with three
people and a printing press, this manufacturer now employs
1,000 people divided among six facilities in three locations.
Products include pressure-sensitive labels, fl exible
packaging, folding cartons and Sealutions™ peelable and
resealable packaging for a broad range of markets. (920-
336-2848)
C.A. Litzler Co., Inc. (Cleveland, OH): Third-generation
family business manufactures custom dryers and ovens
for the converting industry. Options include convection,
infrared, radio frequency and combination heating systems.
Shanghai operations provide rapid sales and service
responses in-country for all Litzler products. (216-213-3273)
Garware Fulflex USA, Inc. (Taylors, SC): This producer
of rubber and plastic products, including thin-gauge,
calendered and extruded elastic products, serves the
industrial, medical, personal protective equipment, hygiene,
textile, graphic-arts and fitness markets from factories and
warehouses located throughout Europe, North America and
Asia Pacific. (423-502-2577)
Government Institute of Printing Technology Mumbai
(Mumbai, India): The not-for-profit educational institute
was established in 1956. It offers a three-year diploma
program in printing technology to two 120-student divisions
and is recognized by the All India Council of Technical
Education and Maharashtra State Board of Technical
Education. (+91-022-20821474)
Infrared-Air Thermal Systems, LLC (Hawthorne, NJ):
The firm relies on the latest in infrared and hot-air drying
and curing technology to design and build energy-efficient
process heating systems powered by electricity or gas.
A laboratory equipped with a full range of heat sources
expedites the evaluation of different approaches to drying
and curing. (833-683-6379)
Monadnock Paper Mills, Inc. (Bennington, NH): The
oldest continuously operating paper mill in the United
States manufactures a diverse range of papers for technical/
specialty, premium printing and packaging applications
under a third-party-certified ISO 14001 Environmental
Management System that relies on wind-powered electricity.
(603-588-3311)
Nordson Extrusion Dies Industries, LLC (Chippewa
Falls, WI): Premier™ and Ultracoat™ slot-die systems with
proprietary software efficiently dispense singular or multiple
thin and uniform coatings in one pass. The company also
offers positioners for slot dies at the optimum angle, thereby
conserving fluid and cutting costs. (715-726-1201)
OCS Optical Control Systems GmbH (Houston, TX):
Headquartered in Witten, Germany, this developer of optical
inspection equipment offers systems to identify defects in
film, sheet and coatings. Targeted for cast (flat) and blown
film, biaxial stretch film, laminating and slitting lines,
capabilities include wide-web inspection and contaminant
detection. (281-723-4275)
Pilcher Hamilton Corporation (Willowbrook, IL):
Established in 1904, the company manufactures polyester
and nylon film and offers custom slitting, sheeting, six color printing and value-added capabilities. Options include
coating, corona treatment and metallizing to enhance
barrier, sealability, coefficient of friction and twistability
properties. (630-655-8100, ext. 107)
Precision AirConvey Corporation (Newark, DE): A
national leader in the manufacture, installation and service
of trim and matrix removal systems for the label, paper,
film, sheet and other industries, the company supplies high quality cutters and pneumatic conveyor systems to remove
trim materials and eliminate costly clogs or breakdowns.
(302-999-8000)
AIMCAL Women’s Leadership Committee Member Profile:
Doris Shellhorse and her team at FILMtech (she is 4th from left)
Technical Sales Engineer, FILMtech, Inc. (Bean Station, TN)
Describe your current line of work and what interests you the most about it:
Technical sales engineer for a
metallizer (FILMtech) – the role is a hybrid of sales,
business development and product development. What
I enjoy most about this role is that it blends together
my favorite aspects of work – talking to customers,
understanding requirements of each application and then
translating that into something tangible for our operators
to execute. It is very hands-on and enables me to interact
with so many different types of people and disciplines.
The best part of the job is the people I get to work with
each day – FILMtech has such a great team. It is quite a
privilege.
What areas of the R2R processing field are the most exciting now and into the future?
With 15+ years of
experience in the R2R industry, I get excited about how
the industry is evolving to meet the demands of the
consumer. I see CPGs driving innovation in sustainability
and R2R companies responding to the challenges in
creative ways. Companies such as FILMtech are finding
ways to be adaptive and responsive to the changing
requirements and unpredictable market conditions, but
also continuing to stay focused on the key components
of maintaining a viable business (safety, quality,
profitability, corporate stewardship).
Did / do you have a female role model or mentor in your career, and what was this experience like?
Yes. I
was fortunate enough to have a female boss early in my
career who became my mentor/life coach and still is one
of my most trusted friends. She has become much more
than a mentor; she has become someone whose advice
I treasure most. The best thing about our relationship is
that she always gives me honest, unvarnished feedback
and, because I trust her so much, I know she has my best
interests at heart. Hands down, I would not be where I am
today without her (personally and professionally).
What career advice can you give to women coming into the field to help assure their success?
The best
advice I can give is to work hard, find someone whose
feedback you trust and actively seek input on how to
improve/grow/stretch. Continue to challenge yourself.
Take risks! Always remember to own your power and
claim your seat at the table, but don’t ever lose sight of
what is most important in your life – your loved ones – so
make sure you have your priorities straight.