July/August 2025

The July/August edition discusses how the Packaging Program Council (PPC) seeks ways to improve packaging degrees in higher education. The PPC began its work with the nine U.S. universities that were granting four-year packaging degrees to determine their curriculum, the responsibilities of their program’s advisory boards, their faculty salaries and tenure, and student graduation requirements and collaborates with trade groups in encouraging students to study packaging, including flexibles, in academia through the associations’ recruitment efforts, research grants, networking opportunities, and software for designing sustainable packaging.

Also in this edition, FPA's Emerging Leadership Council (ELC), which welcomes newcomers to the flexible packaging industry, outlines several exciting changes, including establishing strategic efforts to advance its advocacy in the political arena and raise awareness of critical industry issues. Also discussed is how Flexible Packaging Europe, an industry trade association, aims to assist countries in the European Union in navigating new measures that include restricting certain single-use plastics, establishing minimum requirements for recycled content in packaging, and phasing out chemicals such as perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) and bisphenol A.

• Training the Workforce of Tomorrow: Packaging Program Council Seeks Ways to Improve Packaging Degrees at Universities
• Revamping and Streamlining: The ELC’s New Leaders Plot Path for 2025 and Beyond
• EU Grapples With Changing Rules: Flexible Packaging Europe Steers Industry Through New Regulations

May/June 2025

In the May/June edition, past and current leaders discuss FPA's history and the future of flexible packaging. Since the Flexible Packaging Association (FPA) was founded more than seven decades ago, it has achieved stature as an industry trailblazer in advocacy, sustainability, and collaboration. FPA spearheaded the development of an advocacy coalition with the mobilization of lobbyists and creation of a FlexPAC™, a political action committee, to promote the industry among lawmakers and the deployment of the FlexPack VOICE® magazine and the Perfect Packaging campaign to advance the benefits of flexible packaging. FPA’s close-knit community created a safe space for member businesses to discuss their shared challenges and explore ways to grow the flexible packaging industry as more environmental regulations began to emerge.

Also in this edition, we dig deeper into the dynamic design features behind winning products from ProAmpac's spouted pouch for Ortho® Home Defense®, PPC Flex's compostable bag for HiPPiE ORGANiCS® Organic Asparagus, and other gold award winners of the 2025 Flexible Packaging Achievement Awards. And we explore silver award-winning products that align with eco-conscious consumer trends and demonstrate technical advancements without compromising shelf impact in the 2025 Flexible Packaging Achievement Awards Competition.

• 75 Years of Member Service: Past and Current Leaders Discuss FPA’s History and the Future of Flexible Packaging
• Creating Excellence: Gold Awards in Annual Contest Help Solve Problems
• Recognizing Innovations: Silver Award Winners in FPA Competition Demonstrate Packaging Progress

March/April 2025

The March/April edition takes a look behind producer responsibility organizations (PROs) as the Circular Action Alliance (CAA) prepares for a busy year with extended producer responsibility (EPR). In recent years, EPR laws have been spreading in the United States, requiring the guidance of producer responsibility PROs that would be central to each state’s development and implementation of EPR programs. Along the way, a PRO called the Circular Action Alliance was incorporated in December 2022.

In this edition, ProAmpac CEO Greg Tucker offers insights on a turning point for the flexible packaging industry. Tucker describes how being substrate agnostic—offering sustainable packaging solutions that are recyclable or compostable, so they don't end up in landfills, regardless of the substrate used—has helped build a pipeline of sustainable products at ProAmpac.

The judges for the Flexible Packaging Association’s 69th annual Achievement Awards Competition highlight advances in flexible packaging. This year’s contest displayed advances in recyclability, compostability, strong color consistency, high-resolution details in graphics, and digital printing technology to personalize packaging.

• A Look Behind Producer Responsibility Organizations: Circular Action Alliance Prepares for a Busy Year With EPR
• ‘An Inflection Point’: ProAmpac CEO Greg Tucker Offers His Thoughts on a Turning Point for the Flexible Packaging Industry
• ‘Outstanding:’ Judges for 69th Annual Awards Competition Highlight Advances in Flexible Packaging

January/February 2025

For the January/February edition of FlexPack VOICE®, we had the opportunity to sit down with Dan Felton, the new President & CEO of FPA. In this exclusive interview, he shared insights on the shared challenges that both AMERIPEN and FPA are working to address in shaping the regulatory landscape of the flexible packaging industry.

This edition also introduces FPA’s newly established political action committee, FlexPAC™, which champions pro-business candidates who recognize the critical issues facing the flexible packaging sector, such as extended producer responsibility and product labeling. FlexPAC™ outlines its vision and goals for the future.

Sustainability continues to be a primary focus for pet food and pet care brands, who are actively seeking flexible packaging solutions that strike a balance between high performance and environmental responsibility. FPA’s newly released Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) report delves into the sustainability advantages of flexible packaging, particularly for pet products, and highlights the industry's growing role in advancing sustainable packaging practices.

• A Conversation With Dan Felton, FPA’s New Leader Felton Comes From AMERIPEN, Where Packaging EPR Is a Top Concern
• FlexPAC™ Gears up for Elections FPA’s Political Action Committee Plans for the Future
• Packaging for Pet Food New Life Cycle Assessment Explores Role of Flexible Packaging in Growing Segment

November/December 2024

Two of FPA’s longest-serving members are among the industry experts FlexPack VOICE® interviewed about the macroeconomic trends for the upcoming year. They discuss how businesses are improving their operations to offset rising labor and raw material costs in order to maintain a stable price for consumers. Learn more about regulatory changes involving chemicals, recycling, and sustainability.

FlexPack VOICE® also conferred with members celebrating milestones who are anxious about the uncertain U.S. economy, especially coming out of this contentious presidential election and the steady increase in extended producer responsibility programs popping up in various states.

And the chasing arrows label long respected for indicating which items can be recycled is now under scrutiny as a new California law suggests that it has been part of a larger campaign of greenwashing.

• Lessons From 2024 Inform 2025: Industry Leaders Discuss Trends Facing the Flexible Packaging Industry
• Milestones 2024: Companies Celebrating Anniversaries With FPA Weigh In
• Labeling Laws Examined: National Labeling Standards Remain Elusive, Experts Say

September/October 2024

Flexible packaging companies are no strangers to incorporating the latest advances in technology to improve efficiencies and reduce costs. The newest large-scale game changer is artificial intelligence (AI), which includes machine learning, machine vision, and robotics. Discover AI’s pros and cons from a manufacturing perspective in this issue.

This issue also explores how the upcoming Labelexpo Americas 2024 is focusing on various trends in the flexible packaging industry, including sustainability and automation.
 
And, did you know that flexible packaging can protect Pringles potato crisps from breaking? This elegant construction is one of the winners of our 2024 Student Design Challenge.

• AI and You: Manufacturers Successfully Examine How AI Helps Their Operations
• Learning About Labeling: Labelexpo Americas 2024 Showcases Industry Trends and Innovations
• Innovations and Iterations: Student Designers Develop New Twists on Old Packaging

July/August 2024

To recruit and retain a strong workforce, the flexible packaging industry must be proactive, not reactive. Businesses should highlight the opportunities and varied career paths awaiting the employees of today and tomorrow. Learn more about how to attract talent in the July/August 2024 issue.
 
This issue also introduces two playbooks for R&D teams to help them guide their businesses in meeting their net-zero and sustainability goals. 
 
In addition, we explain FPA’s and its ELC’s innovative social media campaign titled “Pro-Planet: We Believe Every Day is Earth Day,” which frames the conversation of flexible packaging being a part of the solution, not the problem, in responding to environmental challenges. 

• Rethinking Workforce Strategies: New Approaches Might Help Attract—and Keep—Talent, Experts Suggest
• Using Sustainability Playbooks In R&D: Science Group Worked With CTOs to Develop Detailed Guides
• Being Social: New FPA Social Media Campaign Expands Reach