The total number of attendees was higher for this year’s meeting than for any of the previous three years.
Attendee evaluation forms gave the overall event and its components high marks for areas including the hotel, food, program, networking opportunities, and social and recreational activities.
This year’s event is an unqualified success, due in part to the solid evening events where attendees, spouses, and guests could enjoy each other’s company and also do serious business networking at the same time.
Another promising development was that promotional efforts produced a sprinkling of buyers who attended this year’s annual meeting. The Board of Directors anticipates that more buyers could attend the 2009 meeting, as several could not attend this year but mentioned they would like to be invited in the future.
Planning is already under way, using comments and suggestions from this year’s attendees, for the 2009 Annual Meeting at the Chateau Elan in Braselton, GA. Next year’s meeting will be March 20-23. Watch for further details at www.contractpackaging.org and in future issues of Contract Packaging magazine.
RFQ and overall Web site activity
Request For Quote (RFQ) activity on the association’s Web site remains strong in food and beverage. Companies that engage in the buying of contract-packaging services in pharmaceuticals, medical devices, health and beauty aids, hard goods, soft goods, kitting, and assembly may use the RFQ function at www.contractpackaging.org.
All requests for contract-packaging services are delivered to participating association member e-mails for a response.
The CPA Web site currently averages 4,250 unique visits per month. A high percentage of these visitors are looking for contract packaging help.
Welcome to our new members
In recent months, the following companies have joined the Contract Packaging Association:
• Corropack Containers Corp.
• Creative Packaging
• DMS Packaging Services Inc.
• Liberty Carton Packaging
• RRP Packaging
• WeatherChem Corp.
• One Source Industries
• Valley Packaging Industries
• Quik Trip
• Transparent Container Co.
• Blair Packaging
• PrePak Systems
• Industrial Aid
• Coating Excellence International
Welcome aboard! Current corporate member count stands at 158.
An eye toward education
Educating members is the business of the Contract Packaging Association. There is universal recognition that the association must deliver a variety of educational products designed to keep its growing membership informed about all pertinent matters that will make their businesses more successful and the service they deliver more valuable to their growing customer base. Products involved would include shows, conferences, web seminars, newsletters, directories, glossaries, etc.
There is strong support among the members for a new Educational Committee to address the association’s informational needs.
The Board of Directors is looking for a committee chair. This person would be charged with identifying educational needs, being creative with information delivery, staying ahead of the curve, and bringing an aura of professionalism to contract packaging.
Any members interested in chairing this committee should contact Stan Zelesnik, Association Executive Director, at 630/696-4008 or szelesnik@contractpackaging.org.
Committee updates
Five CPA committees now exist and are active. They include:
Management: John Mazelin, Chair. The committee reviews the structure, terms, and identification of board candidates. It also concerns itself with bylaws and is involved with budgeting and documents.
Marketing: Chris Nutley, Chair. This is a newly formed committee that supports, promotes, and launches CPA initiatives. It uses advertising, publicity, newsletters, testimonials, white papers, etc., in both print and electronic form, to develop recognition of and preference for CPA products.
Membership: Sean McKeon, Chair. This committee develops new members in both core and supplier categories. It also works to minimize attrition by developing benefits for both categories, and it actively promotes the relationship between the two. Members of this committee create exposure to new members and those requiring member services.
A major subset of the Membership Committee is associate-member activity, headed by Vic Stalam. The intent of this effort is to provide tools and support to supplier members looking to become more involved with contract packaging members, to the benefit of both the core and supplier categories.
Meeting: Joe Jaruszewski, Chair. Members of this committee are responsible for annual meeting marketing and promotion, as well as theme and program development. The committee participates in venue selection and also develops a high-quality event within budget.
State of the Contract Packaging Industry Report: John Riley, Chair. This committee engages in a cooperative effort with Strategic Analysis Inc. to develop, facilitate, analyze, and present contract-packaging industry data. It is intended be self-sustaining through sales of these reports to interested parties. The report is intended to be presented annually.
