Siegwerk Names Jimmy Garnier UK Managing Director

Siegwerk announced the appointment of Jimmy Garnier as managing director of the UK business based in Haydock. This move is the next logical step in Siegwerk’s strategy to underline the company’s commitment to the UK and priority to optimize operations that underpin customer service. The strategic decision to maintain a UK presence is based upon a sustainable and profitable model. 

Flint Group Pigments Signs Asia/Pacific Agreement With Connell Bros.
Flint Group Pigments has signed an agreement with Connell Bros. Company, Ltd. for distribution of its colorants and additives in the Asia/Pacific region. The partnership significantly increases Flint Group Pigments’ reach in that region and offers an entirely new line of high quality products for Connell to provide its customers.
    
Asia/Pacific colorant consumers now have access to Flint Group Pigments’ portfolio of dry and flushed pigment, aqueous dispersions and additives. These products serve many highly specialized markets, including printing inks, coatings, plastics, latex, paper, textiles, rubber and fertilizer.
    
“Connell Bros. was the obvious distribution choice for us in Asia/Pacific,” said Craig Foster, president of Flint Group Pigments. “Their regional experience, market knowledge and well-developed infrastructure are unparalleled. Just as important, the high caliber of local sales and service personnel ensures that our customers will receive the same level of convenient, personalized care in Asia/Pacific as elsewhere in the world.”
     
Connell Bros., a specialty chemical distributor in Asia and a division of the Wilbur-Ellis Company of San Francisco, will distribute Flint Group Pigments’ products throughout Australia, China, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, New Zealand, Philippines, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand and Vietnam.

INX International Receives Environmental Award for Reducing Lighting Costs
INX International Ink Company has earned the Orion Environmental Stewardship Award presented by Orion Energy Services, for new energy-efficient lighting at its Charlotte, NC facility.
    
The award recognizes significant reductions in power through usage of Orion products — in this case, replacing 129 400-watt metal halide lights with an equal number of six-tube high-intensity fluorescent fixtures. This reduced the INX facility’s annual lighting power usage from 533,209 kilowatt-hours (kWh) to 284,439 kWh — a 47-percent savings.
    
From an environmental perspective, the electric power reduction provides the air-cleaning equivalent of a 52-acre forest, taking 46 cars off the road or saving 23,508 gallons of gasoline per year. It eliminates 558 tons of airborne pollutants annually.
    
When it comes to cost savings, the 248,770 fewer kWh is just the beginning. The cool-operating high-intensity fluorescents led to substantially lower plant cooling costs. And lower maintenance costs also helped cut annual lighting expenses from $34,229 to $14,067 — 59-percent reduction.
    
“While protecting the environment is an ongoing priority with INX,” noted INX International president and CEO Rick Clendenning, “this is a classic example of how environmental responsibility also makes sound business sense. In accepting this award, we also congratulate Orion for encouraging the dual benefits of their system.”
    
A lighting seminar attended by Mike Davis, INX’ Charlotte plant superintendent and manager of environment, health and safety, initiated the idea of switching to fluorescents. “We wanted to see what we could do about cutting our energy costs,” recalled Mr. Davis, “and be friendly to the environment, too.”
    
With so much attention being focused on energy efficiency and environmental issues, “I wasn’t expecting that the light would be so much better,” Mr. Davis added. “I did foot candle readings before the change and later on. In some plant areas, we’ve got an increase of up to 40 percent. That’s a big plus here. The lighting has been well received by everybody.”
    
“INX not only got the energy savings they were looking for, but better lighting,” said Orion CEO Neal Verfuerth. “And, of course, the environmental benefits. They took a chunk of electrical power off the grid.”