Evolving metal decorating
Image: IMDPA
The IMDPA presented another insightful programme at its 2024 Conference & Awards, from 24 to 26 September in Itasca, Illinois (US). Alex Rivers reports
The 2024 International Metal Decorating & Packaging Association Conference & Awards saw its highest attendance rate in over five years. It began with a particularly wet weather day for the annual golf outing on 24 September, followed by a much drier charity banquet inner, with the conference opening the next day.
Beverage category trends
Danny Stepper, CEO of LA Libations, was a lively opener to the conference. His keynote presentation began with a video of all the brands and movie stars (including Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson and Gwyneth Paltrow) LA Libations has worked with over its 15 years in business as a “beverage incubator.” Stepper’s background includes nine years at Coca-Cola and plenty more working in the film industry as a producer and studio executive. Stepper introduced LA Libation’s ethos by explaining that “the beverage industry in the US is being driven by entrepreneurs and innovators.”
In recent years, these people have also been those coming from the sports and entertainment industries, with more and more celebrities announcing the launch of their own line of canned beverages. Each year, LA Libations meets with more than 200 entrepreneurs from across the globe in search of brands that stand out in emerging beverage categories.
In the past, Stepper noted, trends in the beverage space were focused just on taste; now, it’s a blend of taste and functionality. Despite health “not being a trend” – it has and continues to be a driver of categories – Stepper noted that non-alcoholic beverages are on the rise like never before, along with the likes of those incoporating CBD and THC (tetrahydrocannabinol) in their ingredients as alcohol alternatives, to give natural highs, “elevated feeling” or a sense of calm to consumers. This was also something discussed by Beverage Marketing Corporation’s managing director, Gary Hemphill, on the first day of the conference. He echoed that CBD and THC beverages are poised to see “huge growth” – once the various regulatory hurdles surrounding their usage in the US and globally have been overcome.
A category that seemed to “defy gravity” over the past few years, Stepper highlighted, was energy drinks, although he said that there appears to be a “chink in the armour” now, with US growth slowly declining (this was also supported by Hemphill’s statistics). However, there are new opportunities emerging out of this, with powered protein brands within the sport and fitness sectors now choosing to expand into ready-to-drink offerings.
Companies within the health space are also not limiting themselves as much as they perhaps used to, Stepper said, adding that even non-alcoholic brands are diversifying into alcoholic categories, such as sodas, wines and hard selzters. Hemphill’s presentation supported this, stating that in the alcohol category, canned sprits is projected to hold the largest market share in 2025. Moving on to how metal decoration fits in with these trends, Stepper noted that, in May this year, LA Libations announced its strategic investment in CTI (Chromatic Technologies Inc), a company whose thermochromic technology has been transforming Coors Light’s can packaging with colour changing properties for over 16 years.
Stepper used this as a prime example of how metal decorators are leading the charge in elevating the consumer experience beyond the taste and functionality of the product. Coors Light is now renowned for its white-to-blue mountain graphic, and CTI has found further success working with the likes of ABInBev, Constellation, Coca-Cola, Prime Hydration drinks, General Mills, Hershey’s and Mondelez International.
In Stepper’s concluding Q&A session, fellow conference presenter, Kalvis Jaunarijs, president and CEO of World of Canmaking, asked Stepper the question “Do consumers actually care about sustainability?” to which Stepper replied he believes they do, but that this is not always at the forefront when they’re acting at the point of purchase. Stepper did caveat this answer by saying he believes this behaviour is on the brink of change.
Danner Stepper, CEO of LA Libations. Image: IMDPA
A data-driven industry
Another huge trend impacting the beverage sector is the rise of AI. Alex Castrounis, CEO of Why of AI, offered an overview of his career thus far and his journey from being involved in the motor racing industry (specifically the Indianapolis 500), to entering into a career studying AI. “Data is gold,” Castrounis said, after explaining how utilising data and teaching himself to code informed his Indycar engineering and race strategies. His experience applying analytics to make smarter, data-driven decisions in racing now helps businesses gain and maintain a competitive advantage in their industry.
Castrounis acknowledged that, while AI can seem “chaotic” to some and complicated to keep updated with, it’s about “finding your focus” and “identifying which use cases” are most important to Images courtesy of the IMDPA unless stated otherwise your company, and what you want to achieve with the data AI can collect.
Breakout sessions
After the first day of the conference, separate breakout sessions for two-piece, flat sheet and manufacturing were introduced. The two-piece sessions included a discussion on data-driven analysis to improve the coating process by SpecMetrix’s Mark Mohn and Domingo Gonzales from BetterCans; colour measurement by X-Rite Pantone’s Rafiq Muller; image transfer technology by John Hickey Kinyo Virginia; low temperature cleaning by Henkel’s Emily Mullins; and print process control by Gerado Cerros at CMA Imaging.
Innosen’s Luc Nelen kicked off the flat sheet session, discussing smart investments with intelligent sensors; Koenig & Bauer’s Samuel Teufel shared the latest development of the company’s MetJet One digital printing press; Miltec UV’s Bob Malone explored the challenges of efficient UV curing; Brasilata Labs’ David Haley and HP’s Gabriel Zaraguetta explained the Innocan high speed offset digital printing technology; and then Barberán’s Charles Slingerland offered an update for digital flat sheet printing.
To begin the manufacturing session, IPS’ Chris Karpovich explored innovation to service a more sustainable world; Sheridan Management Group’s David Sheridan explained chemical process design; Frank McDonough at McDonough Technologies gave a brief history of aluminium lubricants; RBC Bearing’s Bradley Smith showcased the company’s bearing technology; and lastly, Belvac’s Aditya
Pelluri concluded the session by discussing the future of Rutherford style inkers.
Packaging steel
Steve Mihm, senior vice president of purchasing and logistics, and Joe Vavro, senior director of business development at Reynolds Services, explored packaging steel challenges in their conference presentation on 26 September. One of the biggest challenges facing the US, stated Mimh, is that the country is “seeing a market that is dominated by foreign supply,” adding that domestic tin mill capacities are at an all-time low due to many plant closures nationwide. However, even foreign supply could be at risk with the latest tariff rate introductions from Chinese imports.
Vavro emphasised that the issue is “all geopolitical,” and that the upcoming (at the time of the presentation and time of writing) US election would also impact tariffs on packaging steel for 2025. Mimh and Vavro’s overarching advice to businesses in the audience was to “be diverse on your supply.”
Educating future generations
IMDPA board member and education chair, and technical sales representative for INX International Ink Co, Sarah Jacks, explained the IMDPA Education Committee’s goal of attracting new talent to the industry, though communication with schools, universities and other educational institutes.
Jacks herself attended Clemson University in South Carolina, obtaining a Bachelor of Science degree in Packaging Science, which set her in excellent stead for her career. The course is a unique one, she said, as it blends biology, chemistry and physics alongside graphics and marketing principles. In addition, the Sonoco Institute at Clemson University exists as a unique education, research and industry collaboration to discover, develop and deliver advanced solutions and resources for the printing and packaging value chain.
The audience was also informed of the US Packaging Jamboree, which is an annual studentled conference held at packaging universities nationwide. Across three days, students involved in the ‘Pack Jam’ participate in events to connect themselves to their packaging peers. Industry professionals also talk with students about current trends in the packaging industry, provide advice and general networking.
Jacks stressed that career paths into can making and metal decorating need more exposure, and this will mean more involvement from industry professionals in, for instance, career fairs and other related events. Often metal packaging businesses will have internships/apprenticeships available to graduates, and these need to be shared with the right people to inform students of the opportunities and pathways available to them after finishing their studies.
Even students studying something that is not directly thought of as linked to can manufacturing could provide relevant knowledge and experience, Jacks said. For instance, food science could have close links to the three-piece industry.
Drawing attention to the fact that the industry is still heavily male-dominated, the IMDPA Conference also saw the official launch of the Women in Canmaking Association (WICA), with co-founders Martha Rojas, Janis Osbourne and Sarah Davidson taking to the stage to introduce their mission statement. The company will operate as a not-for-profit membership organisation, dedicated to championing inclusivity, sustainability and innovation. Steelforce Packaging and INX International were also announced as WICA’s first sponsors.
The conference offered three breakout rooms for sessions on two-piece, flat sheet and manufacturing. Here, Koenig & Bauer details its MetJet One printing unit. Image: Bell Publishing
Awards
The IMDPA’s Awards Luncheon on 25 September recognised many individuals for their contributions to the metal decorating industry. First up were those who had been awarded the IMDPA Annual Scholarship, from the Association’s members. Then, the 2024 Member of the Year was announced. This was awarded to Kyle Hurla, who served as IMDPA’s secretary/treasurer for two years and who chairs the Scholarship Golf Outing in addition to assisting with recent exhibitions.
This is the second Member of the Year recognition for Hurla, showing his dedication to the Association. He received the award from IMDPA president, John Clark. The IMDPA’s Metal Packagers of the Year were then named as Canpack’s Phil Grimes; J.L. Clark’s Teresa Smith and EJ Harper; and Sonoco’s Sam Zuppe.
The Association also recognised its Metal Decorators of the Year, who included Crown Cork’s Victor Bunte; Trivium Packaging’s Gregory Bortner; Canpack’s Joey Locke and Jose Delgado; The Ohio Art Company’s Alan Flory; Sonoco’s Greg Hansen; and J.L. Clark’s Carlos Williams and Rick Hoffmaster. The Excellence in Quality Awards revealed winning designs from Crown; Trivium; Shetron; Industrial Lithographica; Ball; Canpack; Digican Printing; Tinpack; Grafilac; The Ohio Art Co; Independent Can Co and Ardagh Group, with Reynolds Services receiving the Best of Category accolade in digital printing, as well as taking home the Grand Award for its design for the Birdfish ‘Too Hip to Sip’ Hazy IPA. Congratulations to all the winners and CanTech’s thanks go to the IMDPA for a highly enjoyable and educational few days. The Conference will return in 2026.
Image: Bell Publishing
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