Acquisition allows ProMach to establish a powerful position in the food and pet care sectors where can filling and sterilization are required.

In addition to full-wrap labeling, MULTIVAC offers two other high-quality and sustainable packaging solutions for fresh produce trays. 

From March onward in a live and convenient setting, customers will be able to learn all about MULTIVAC's innovative labeling and inspection solutions. This time the focus will be on high-quality and sustainable solutions for the closure sealing and labeling of fruit and vegetable trays.

The Environmental Packaging Awards, now in their second year, celebrate innovations and individuals making significant strides in sustainability within the packaging industry.

Acquisition allows JLS to expand its full-line integration capabilities, including palletizing.

With the addition of the Hartness High-Speed Layer Palletizing Tool, Schneider is now able to offer its world-class solutions to an even larger portion of the palletizing market.

Rethceif is a manufacturer of automated form-fill-seal packaging and robotic palletizing equipment.

Whether it's addressing labor shortages, increasing productivity or accommodating a growing SKU portfolio, the incorporation of palletizing and depalletizing systems has become vital for beverage warehouses.

In addition to its vast portfolio of conveyance solutions, Sentry manufactures a wide array of packaging equipment, including case and bulk palletizing, de-palletizing, and robotic systems. 

Descon Integrated Conveyor Solutions is a prominent provider of integrated conveyor systems for the food and beverage industry.

Emmepi Group says the objective of the acquisition is to further increase its geographic manufacturing footprint, enhancing its ability to offer a totally integrated solution, aligning with the demands of customers globally.

Acquisition will provide Amcor with a fully integrated, production-ready fresh protein packaging solution.

Packaging Strategies recently spoke to three heavyweights in the area of form/fill/seal equipment, TNA Solutions, Viking Masek Packaging Technologies, and Formost Fuji Corp., regarding their responses to a variety of new demands including sustainability and new food trends.

The VELTEKO WASHDOWN-360 vertical packaging machine can be used in operations with more stringent hygiene requirements as well as anywhere that liquids need to be packaged.

The fully servo-driven HQ Series counting & dispensing machines are designed to provide 100% accuracy for primary or secondary packaging of candy, confectionary and chocolate as well as non-food products.

Torus Group, known for its strong portfolio in measurement for metal and rigid packaging in the food and beverage industries, has recently expanded into plastic packaging and medical devices.

Investment includes the acquisition of an AV Flexologic Corrugated Flat Mounting Machine and the integration of Reproflex3's high-definition Vortex™ screening technology.

Acquisition adds significant capabilities to the Inovar platform, which includes industry-leading pressure sensitive, roll-fed, and RFID label capabilities.

Are continuous inkjet inks suitable for printing on and subsequently sterilizing recyclable food packaging? Specialists from both companies investigated this very question at SÜDPACK’s technical center.

Building a Winning Team: The Volunteer Blueprint jhammond@desti… Tue, 07/02/2024 - 17:59

The Emerging Leaders' Guide to Thriving at Industry Events jhammond@desti… Tue, 11/05/2024 - 21:09

What do you charge for your teaching? If you want to take a fresh look at your tuition model, join us on Wednesday for an online discussion about this most important subject.

Zircuit, the chain where innovation meets security, is thrilled to announce the success of its EIGEN Fairdrop initiative. With a first-of-its-kind distribution of 2% of ZRC tokens to eligible EIGEN holders, Zircuit has introduced a model of fairness and inclusivity in the Ethereum staking ecosystem, underscoring a commitment to decentralization and community empowerment.

The EIGEN Fairdrop, an industry first, provided equal shares to over 190,000 eligible EIGEN holders and moved away from traditional distribution models that often favor larger stakeholders. Within just the first week, over 51,000 users claimed their ZRC and this fair and community-first approach has garnered widespread appreciation across the crypto space.

The Fairdrop includes a wide range of contributors to the EigenLayer ecosystem, extending beyond EIGEN stakers to support Uniswap liquidity providers, EtherFi eEIGEN holders, and Renzo ezEIGEN holders.

Sreeram Kannan, Founder of EigenLayer, praised Zircuit’s approach, saying, “Thrilled to see Zircuit introducing the first Fairdrop for EIGEN holders with 2% of their ZRC tokens. This is an amazing community-first approach, embodying fairness in the EigenLayer ecosystem, with everyone receiving the same amount.”

The Fairdrop, an industry milestone, supports Zircuit’s vision of an inclusive Ethereum ecosystem and strengthens the EigenLayer network by recognizing all contributors. The initiative's snapshot, taken on October 8, 2024, at Ethereum Block #20919999, included wallets with a minimum of 3 EIGEN tokens while excluding core EigenLayer team members and investors, keeping the focus on the community.

Zircuit protects users from hacks through its built-in, automated AI techniques that guard against smart contract exploits and malicious actors. Bolstered by its strong security infrastructure, Zircuit is the central hub for restaked assets featuring unparalleled security and allowing users to potentially earn industry-leading yields natively. With $1.8 billion in Total Value Locked (TVL), Zircuit is the premier liquidity hub for restaked assets (ETH, BTC, LSTs, and LRTs) where users can receive stronger security guarantees and trust.

During Mainnet, users can bridge their assets and start staking to potentially earn rewards and airdrops from the Zircuit ecosystem at the Liquidity Hub.

About Zircuit

Zircuit (https://www.zircuit.com/) provides developers with advanced features and users with peace of mind. Built by a team of web3 security experts and PhDs, Zircuit merges high performance with unparalleled security, making it the safest choice for DeFi and staking

Warped Games, an indie game studio consisting of web3 and veteran game developers who have a legacy in creating player-focused games like LEGO Universe, Jumpgate, and Dragons and Titans, is on a mission to onboard millions of players to expand the Warped Universe, an immersive blockchain-powered game where players’ actions and decisions shape the environment and influence each season’s direction. After extensive exploration, Warped Games selected Sui as the blockchain to support this ambitious vision, thanks to its player-friendly approach and innovations in the Move language.

The announcement of Warped Games becoming an official partner with Mysten Labs arrives at a pivotal moment for blockchain gaming. With games like "Off The Grid" making strides toward mainstream adoption, this new collaboration marks another significant step in expanding blockchain gaming’s reach to a wider audience.

James Wing, Head of AAA Gaming Partnerships for Mysten Labs, commented on the official partnership: "Warped Games embodies what is exciting about this industry - founders and products that are built with passion to boldly address the wants of modern gamers. We are tremendously excited to partner with our friends at Warped and aid them in their journey to pioneer a new age of games on Sui."

Warped Universe: Empowering Players

Player empowerment is at the core of Warped Universe’s design. Here, players will be able to engage in PvE action in single-player or co-op mode, with an innovative multi-genre design giving players the flexibility to choose between turn-based or real-time genres across both ground and space gameplay. Players will also get to choose missions that influence the broader “meta-game,” affecting the balance of light and gravity for all, leading to wild and chaotic scenarios as each season aims to build a unique solar system in the Universe. This level of control redefines what it means to participate in a player-driven virtual world.

Breaking Barriers to Blockchain Accessibility

One of the largest obstacles facing blockchain adoption today is its intimidating complexity for newcomers. Traditional blockchain experiences involve managing seed phrases, navigating wallets, high fees, slow speed, and unfriendly, often intimidating transactions—barriers that can alienate potential users. Sui’s design eliminates these hurdles by offering a seamless, user-friendly blockchain experience required by games like Warped Universe, aiming to appeal to a mainstream gaming audience.

With Sui’s zkLogin feature, players can access the blockchain and create wallets using familiar credentials, like passkeys or existing logins, removing the need for seed phrases and technical know-how. For those who prefer greater control, Warped Universe will also allow players to connect their own self-custodied wallets, giving them the option to manage their assets independently. This accessibility empowers users to focus on what matters most—the game experience itself.

Enhanced NFT Utility with Move

Sui’s Move language and object model empower Warped Universe to create NFTs that go beyond static assets, offering dynamic, context-rich tokens that evolve with each player’s journey. Sui treats each asset as an individual, on-chain object with unique IDs and customizable fields, allowing NFTs to reflect player progression and deepen in-game immersion.

Innovations extend to the use of closed-loop tokens for in-game purchases and season pass NFTs, which act as "time capsules", allowing players to revisit exclusive content from past seasons. With each season in Warped Universe serving as a self-contained story arc, these season passes aren’t just NFTs—they’re gateways to the game’s evolving history, creating lasting value and enhancing player ownership.

Kiosk: Marketplace Re-Imagined

Kiosk is a decentralized system designed for commerce applications on the Sui network, similar to traditional markets where vendors sell goods or services from small, standalone booths. Just like in those markets, where individual sellers operate their own kiosks, owning the products on display and managing their own sales, with Kiosk, shared objects are owned by individual parties who store assets and may list them for sale as well as utilizing custom trading functionality, such as royalties and the ability to rent assets.

Walrus: Re-Defining Digital Ownership in Warped Universe

As Warped Universe expands, decentralized storage will play a crucial role in ensuring the authenticity and accessibility of in-game assets. Mysten Labs’ Walrus protocol is set to support this need, providing a secure and efficient way to store raw data and media files—such as images, audio, video, and other game assets—at low cost without compromising performance. Unlike traditional NFTs, which often store metadata off-chain on platforms like IPFS or AWS, Walrus enables both the NFT and its metadata to be stored in a decentralized manner. This integration introduces new ways for players in Warped Universe to experience genuine ownership of their digital assets, giving them the ability to store in-game captures or statistics, and creating a more immersive and reliable player-driven experience.

High Performance, Scalability, and Environmental Responsibility

In Warped Universe, players aren’t just playing a game; they’re building and defending entire solar systems each season, with their achievements and digital assets minted and transacted on-chain in the background. This model requires a blockchain capable of handling high transaction volumes both efficiently and affordably. Sui’s high throughput and low transaction costs make this possible, providing fast, cost-effective, and seamless on-chain transactions that support a robust gaming economy.

Sui also prioritizes environmental sustainability by using a delegated proof-of-stake (DPoS) consensus model rather than energy-intensive proof-of-work. With its efficient Directed Acyclic Graph (DAG) architecture, Sui can process large transaction volumes with minimal environmental impact—aligning perfectly with Warped Games’ vision of a sustainable, responsible gaming ecosystem.

“With Sui, we can create an immersive, evolving on-chain gaming ecosystem where players can own, modify, and evolve assets without compromising the gaming experience,” said Adam Straney, Managing Director at Warped Games. “This approach lets us build an interconnected universe on a blockchain that’s fast, scalable, and environmentally responsible, supporting our vision of an accessible, seamless player-owned economy. Gamers can focus on having fun, with blockchain as a supportive tool rather than the centerpiece."

Looking Ahead with Warped Universe and Sui

Currently, the blockchain element in Warped Universe is the $WARPED token, an ERC-20 token designed to give holders a voice in game design, seasonal voting, discounts, potential rewards, and exclusives. While specific plans for the token’s future are yet to be announced, the Warped Universe team is committed to keeping current holders top of mind as they explore expanding to the Sui blockchain. Plans for the WARPED token, on-chain assets, skins, seasonal passes, and other elements will be shared in due time—stay tuned for updates.

As Warped Universe continues to develop, the teams at Warped Games and Mysten Labs are dedicated to working closely together to explore practical blockchain integration in games, enhancing player ownership, scalability, and immersive gameplay. Together, through Warped Universe and the Sui blockchain, they’re building a unique, player-driven experience that showcases the future of blockchain gaming.

About Warped Games

Warped Games (https://warped.games/) is an indie game studio dedicated to creating immersive, player-driven gaming experiences with a focus on blockchain integration. Known for pushing the boundaries of web3 technology, the team behind Warped Games combines industry veterans from both gaming and tech to bring innovative worlds like Warped Universe to life.

About Mysten Labs

Mysten Labs is a technology company focused on advancing blockchain infrastructure to support next-generation applications. Founded by experts in distributed systems, Mysten Labs developed the Sui blockchain, a high-performance, user-friendly platform designed to make blockchain technology accessible and scalable for mainstream audiences.

• Eurostoxx -0.3%
• Germany DAX -0.2%
• France CAC 40 -0.1%
• UK FTSE +0.1%
• Spain IBEX flat
• Italy FTSE MIB -0.2%

There's some push and pull in the opening stages but the changes here don't take away from the heavy selling yesterday. As mentioned since last week, the outlook for European indices remain challenging considering the more dour economic outlook in the region. So far today, US futures are also a little more subdued with S&P 500 futures down 0.3%.

• There are still noticeable price pressures, especially in services sector
• Trump's tariffs may cause German economy to contract
• If tariffs come into effect, it could cost Germany 1% in economic output

And therein lies the dilemma for the ECB heading into next year I guess. The good news is that the disinflation process is still progressing, albeit with a few bumps along the way. All else being equal, the argument for further rate cuts should hold heading into 2025.

• Headline CPI reading not telling us that underlying inflation dynamics have been vanquished
• Services inflation is pretty sticky
• Energy prices are more likely to go up than down
• Sees more volatility and upward bias to some inflation drivers

Do keep in mind that Mann is arguably the most hawkish member among the BOE policy committee. So, her comments here are not as striking as they might seem to be.

For some context, these subsidies did come to an end in May but were reinstated in August through to October to cope with the warmer weather. Subsequently, they were continued until this year-end but the funds had to be drawn from reserves in the budget for the fiscal year that started in April.

NHK is now reporting that the government is considering keeping these subsidies from January through to March next year. Amid a higher cost of living in key populated areas such as Tokyo, the measure above is mainly to try and combat rising consumer prices.

WASHINGTON, D.C. – In response to today's violence at the U.S. Capitol Building, the following statement can be attributed to NAB President and CEO Gordon Smith:

Washington, D.C. – The National Association of Broadcasters (NAB), the Donald W. Reynolds Journalism Institute (RJI) and the National Association of Chain Drug Stores (NACDS) today announced the launch of an online toolkit to help local journalists craft COVID-19 vaccine education messages that best resonate with their audiences. The toolkit is designed to provide journalists with information and resources to create news reports, public service announcements and other messages related to vaccine safety, effectiveness and distribution.

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) today announced the creation of an advisory committee to the NAB Board of Directors that will provide insights and suggestions on diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) issues. The committee will consist of senior-level broadcasters who are women and people of color, and may include current NAB and NAB Leadership Foundation (NABLF) board members who are committed to advancing DEI issues in broadcasting.

Washington, D.C. -- U.S. Rep. Karen Bass (CA-37) will be the inaugural guest in an exclusive new Spotlight Series from the National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) featuring members of Congress discussing key initiatives to advance diversity, equity and inclusion and their perspectives on broadcast media.

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- The National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) and TriNet, a leading provider of comprehensive human resources for small and medium-size businesses (SMBs), will present an exclusive webinar for NAB members on July 21st at 1 p.m. ET focused on recruiting and on-boarding an empowered, diverse workforce. NAB members will receive an email invitation with registration information for this free webinar.

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- In response to passage by the House of Representatives of the Build Back Better reconciliation package that includes provisions in the Local Journalism Sustainability Act, the following statement can be attributed to NAB President and CEO Gordon Smith:

Washington, D.C. -- Former National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) President and CEO Gordon Smith will receive the organization’s Distinguished Service Award (NAB DSA) during the 2022 NAB Show in Las Vegas. Smith will receive the award – NAB’s highest honor – at the NAB Show Welcome session on Monday, April 25.

Washington, D.C. -- The National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) will host a Diversity Symposium on Sunday, April 24 from 12:00 – 3:00 p.m. at the 2022 NAB Show in Las Vegas. The symposium, designed to help broadcast organizations develop corporate diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) strategies and embrace diversity in media and the workplace, is open to all NAB Show attendees.

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- The National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) announced today the completion of a new state-of-the-art media production facility at NAB's headquarters, located at 1 M Street, SE in Washington, D.C. The buildout of the facility, including a studio and media hub, was made possible by donations of critical equipment and studio design services from leading companies in the business of content creation and management.

Washington, D.C. – Award-winning media and entertainment entrepreneur, radio personality, television host and producer Ryan Seacrest will receive the 2022 National Association of Broadcasters’ Distinguished Service Award (NAB DSA), the organization’s highest honor which recognizes those who have made a significant and lasting contribution to the American system of broadcasting. The award presentation will take place during the Marconi Radio Awards on October 19 at NAB Show New York.

Washington, D.C. -- The National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) and the NAB Leadership Foundation (NABLF) hosted a Human Resources and Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) Forum on November 15. The one-day symposium, open to senior human resources and DEI executives and professionals in the broadcast industry, focused on creating dialogue and exchanging ideas among broadcast companies regarding talent management, retention and DEI best practices.

The National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) is hosting a webinar on recruitment strategies for television and radio stations to draw new sales and programming talent. The webinar, “Retooling Your Recruiting Strategy for 2023,” is an NAB members-only event and will take place on Wednesday, February 1 at 3 p.m. ET.

Washington, D.C. -- The 2023 NAB Show will lead a collaborative, immersive and interactive exploration of the transformative impact Web3 and other internet advances are having on the media and entertainment industry on April 15-19 at the Last Vegas Convention Center. Educational programming, hands-on demonstrations, special events, networking sessions and dozens of exhibitors on the show floor will explore the next generation of the internet and its potential to unlock new opportunities in the content lifecycle.

Washington, D.C. -- The National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) filed a petition for mandamus in federal court today seeking to require the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to expeditiously complete its long-pending 2018 quadrennial review of broadcast ownership rules.

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Hall of Fame CBS sportscaster James Brown is the recipient of the National Association of Broadcasters’ 2023 Distinguished Service Award (NAB DSA), the organization’s highest honor. The award presentation will take place during the NAB Marconi Awards Dinner, presented by Xperi, on October 25 at NAB Show New York.

Ray Quiñones has joined the National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) as director of Government Relations, effective today. Quiñones will report to Shawn Donilon, executive vice president of Government Relations.

Washington, D.C. – The National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) today, in partnership with its Leadership Foundation, launched "You Belong Here," a multifaceted campaign to help broadcasters find, hire and grow talent in their stations. This campaign marks a significant milestone in the broadcast industry’s journey towards a more diverse, dynamic and inclusive future for local stations.

Washington, D.C.— Authenticity fuels success in content creation. That’s the message actress, writer, host and activist Jameela Jamil will deliver when she takes the Main Stage at the 2024 NAB Show, April 13 – 17 (Exhibits April 14 – 17) at the Las Vegas Convention Center. Creators will be inspired and empowered through sessions, workshops, exhibits and more as NAB Show brings together top personalities, technology and ideas for the broadcast, media and entertainment industry. Jamil will explore the freedom and power of identity and share insights and strategies on how to navigate the pressures of different mediums while staying true to oneself.

Radio and TV personality Bobby Bones will take the stage as host of the 2024 NAB Marconi Radio Awards, set to take place on October 9 during NAB Show New York. Bones will also be honored with the prestigious NAB Distinguished Service Award (DSA), the National Association of Broadcasters’ highest honor.

The day we got out for Christmas break I felt the pressure of school lift off and decided I wanted to pull out the old guitar and give it another try. The thing is I don't really know how to play the guitar, I know how to play about 4 chords. Enter the iPad.

Can you believe that the most unlikely of heroes actually saved that day? I should add this guy to my ongoing series of personal guitar heroes. So who is the mystery man? Well, he's not that big of a mystery!


Chris Llewellyn who is the guitarist for the hip hop artist Asher Roth was on a plane Wednesday that was headed for Los Angeles, when a bit of a ruckus broke out. Apparently a very disgruntled man had all he could take, and shoved a stewardess to the ground. It didn't stop their, as the man claimed to have a bomb, and rushed to the exit door, making an attempt to open it in mid flight. Llewellyn heard the commotion, saw what was going on, and acted.

The 26 year old guitar player tackled the disturbed Delta passenger, and with the help of several other passengers, restrained the man until the plane could safely land. Soon after the man was taken into custody, and no bomb was found on the plane, but thanks to the efforts of Chris and other passengers aboard the Delta plane, any other troubles were quickly avoided. However, the man was not restrained in a perfect scenario. Chris told the Los Angeles Times that everyone was struggling to keep the man pinned, because he was acting insane.

Talk about a hero!