Independent Can Company What’s New November 2014

What’s New- November 2014 -

The busy season is moving very quickly. The leaves are changing, the weather is turning cooler and the Holiday Season is almost upon us.

In my last What’s New article I reported that we were late on most all of our deliveries and were struggling to catch up. I must say that we are in much better shape as it relates to lead-times now then we were in August. This is the busy season and consequently certain stock items are running short or are out of stock so please allow 2-3 weeks on most orders or have a substitution item in mind when you call.

If you have a rush custom order that you would like to discuss please call and challenge us to respond. I cannot promise an immediate turnaround although we are in pretty good shape to deliver quickly.

In the printing division: Today the lead-time in the printing and coating division is 4-5 weeks on repeat jobs and 5-6 weeks on new jobs.

The long lead-time challenges this year were the result of an exceptional influx of printing volume that was much higher than forecast. We have been planning for growth for high quality printing and this is reflected in our expansion of our printing capacity in Belcamp, Maryland and the opening of the new plant in Vandalia, Ohio.

The Vandalia, Ohio printing plant began operations in June of this year and has operated as planned. The crews have 5 months experience at this point and all is running smoothly.

In Belcamp, Maryland we will be installing a new printing line which should run its first sheets by December 31, 2014. This line gives us new capabilities and will be our 3rd printing line in this plant.
With the addition of the new Ohio plant and the capacity being added in Belcamp we will have nearly doubled our printing capacity this year and increased coating capacity by 30 percent.

In the Can Plants: While the can plants are running at a very high level we are well underway with engineering plans for equipment and process improvements being designed for installation in the spring of 2015. The realignment of can line to provide cost reductions and more efficient material flow takes significant time so we are staging the changes we want to take on after the first of the year.

We will be able to discuss some of the changes as we approach the spring time.

General comments: These are exciting times in the United States for manufacturing. The low- cost nations that have challenged the United States and Western Europe for global competitiveness in manufacturing have seen very high rates of inflation in labor costs and difficulties in maintaining their supply advantages.

Through investments in automation and the development of flexible manufacturing systems, Independent Can and hundreds of other domestic manufacturers have reduced costs and lead times to respond to the needs of retailers both specialty and the mass market retailers. The consumer wants good quality, good value and they want it now. The retailers do not have the luxury of buying from halfway around the world and being able to restock the shelves in the holiday season. Having the right products on the shelves provides the consumer with their desired items and reduces stock outs and end of season closeouts which are extremely costly to the retailers.

http://www.independentcan.com
http://www.westernspecialty.com
For more info on this Blog or Independent Can Company please contact
Ryan D Huether
ryan@independentcan.com

Holiday Gift Tins

Don't forget, if you are looking for #Holiday #Gift #Tins to put your cookies, muffins, cakes, candies in but you don't need big quantities you can get them direct from the manufacturer at http://www.shopindependentcan.com Your one Stop Tin Shop for the holidays! Oh... And they are all still made right here in the USA. #USAMADE

If you need larger quantities (orders over $350) call 909-923-6150 and we can send you our wholesale price list.

Independent Can Company's Online Store

For years now our customers have been asking us:

Where can I purchase your tins online?
Do you have an online store?
I would like to purchase a few cases of tins can you help me?

WE NOW HAVE A SOLUTION!

Independent Can Company is proud to present http://www.shopindependentcan.com our new online store specifically focused on our smaller customers who would like to purchase 1 - 10 cases of tins at a time.   Use the coupon code " Blogger " and you will receive 5% off your first order.

We have already been asked; What if I want to purchase from the site and order more then 10 cases. If you will be purchasing often and can meat a $350 minimum per order we will be happy to set you up with a traditional wholesale account by calling 909-923-6150.  If you have questions let us know.

Ryan D. Huether
Vice President of Business Development
Independent Can Company
Western Specialty Container Division
909-923-6150

Independent Can Company Captures Print Excellence Awards

Independent Can Company Captures Print Excellence Awards

July 26, 2012

Independent Can Company was again recognized for excellence in print quality by the International Metal Decorator’s Association (IMDA). The award was presented to Independent Can Company at their annual conference held this May. Each year the IMDA conducts a quality contest with entries from around the world, to recognize the skillful achievements of metal lithographers. Independent Can Company, for many consecutive years, has won the prestigious “Award of Excellence” and “Best of Category” in Specialty Packaging, as well as Signs and Displays.

The “Award of Excellence” for Specialty Packaging was presented to Independent Can Company for the Nestle Turtles® Limited Edition Holiday Tin. The Turtles® tin also earned a “Special Judges Award” from the Printing & Graphics Association Mid Atlantic (PGAMA) in March of this year. Independent Can was also presented the IMDA “Best of Category” for Signs and Displays with its printing of the “Fender Guitar” metal sign produced for Desperate Enterprises.

Over the past decade Independent Can has invested heavily in the latest printing equipment specifically designed for high definition printing on metal. The company has hired technical experts to direct this highly specialized print operation. “We are constantly looking for process improvements in order to meet the expectations of our customers,” said President and CEO, Rick Huether.

XXX
For more information contact Ryan D. Huether, Vice President of Business Development, Independent Can Company, 1300 Brass Mill Road, P.O. Box 370, Belcamp, MD 21017-0370, Phone: 410-272-0090, Fax: 410-273-7500, e-mail: Ryan@independentcan.com, web: www.independentcan.com.

GREEN PRODUCTS PRICE GAP DETERS CONSUMER?!?!

GREEN PRODUCTS PRICE GAP DETERS CONSUMERS! Would you pay a higher price if you knew that the product you were buying was made in an ECO FRIENDLY way? Would you pay a higher price if the packaging was 100% Recyclable or made from a large portion of recycled material?

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A Decorative Tin “Homecoming”

Over the past 20 years it seemed to be a better deal to rely on overseas manufacturers for decorative tin packaging due low labor rates. The resulting cost difference was enough to offset the “unknowns”. Would quality and delivery expectations be met? Would there be invisible health or safety risks? Overseas exporters found ways address obstacles such as language barriers, time zone differences and inventory. The added costs of freight and additional time spend on logistics were addressed by using US brokers. Many brokers were simply logistics managers with no packaging expertise.

In recent years, the labor and transportation costs associated with imported packaging have escalated. Fluctuations in currency and a volatile political climate only add to the cost and delivery uncertainty. Warehousing can have its complications and risks. Product recalls of imported products from unaudited factories made national headlines.

Meanwhile back at home US manufacturers became more lean and efficient, adding significantly to their technological advancements. This not only increased thru-put and contained costs, but also improved quality. Companies that were financially sound, such as Independent Can, were able to invest and move forward. Advances in automation resulted in consistently repeatable, high quality results and better delivery time for customers.

What’s under the wrapper?

Metal Lithography
High Speed, Energy Efficient Coater

Our new coating line as arrived! It is the latest coating and oven system available. This line will be rated at 120 sheets per minute and the oven is reported to operate utilizing 20- 30% less energy than the older drying ovens while providing the cleanest exhaust. Corporate Governance and Corporate Social Responsibility by US businesses must run hand in hand. Generating less Co2 while also using less energy is good for everyone.

Competitive prices, quality and delivery certainty are just a few of the reasons that it makes more sense to Buy American. Needless to say, decorative tin business is “coming home”. Independent Can has been dedicated to manufacturing fine decorative metal packaging, as its primary focus, for more than 80 years.

For more information on the article above CONTACT US BY CLICKING HERE or call 909-923-6150

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WHATS NEW - SPRING 2011

What’s New

May 2011

I must apologize to those that read my What’s New article for not making an update on a more timely basis. 2011 has been a very active year with a lot of projects, which is so refreshing when looking back over the past 2 years. I am happy to be able to report sales are up and the bottom line results have maintained an improving track.

We never thank that those around us enough, both coworkers and customers, for being a positive part of our overall business success. I want to thank all of our employees at Independent Can for their contribution and dedication and our customers for putting their faith in us as your supplier of value added packaging.

I am writing this article as I am flying back from Europe having attended a can manufacturers meeting (METPACK) where both the producers of cans from around the world and the equipment suppliers  met to review the global activities in can making. It was really interesting to learn that there has been significant recovery in metal packaging in every part of the world. The advances in the equipment for making cans continues to evolve, adding flexibility in the can shapes along with fast changeover, allowing consumers more options for buying uniquely formed metal containers.

The steel can also remains one of the only fully recyclable environmentally packages available in the world. Tin cans are 100% recyclable and once recycled they will come back for a new use without losing any of the original qualities. Steel is easily separated in the waste stream; consequently it does not end up in landfills.

As a supplier of specialty metal packaging we recognize the need to continually update and install the tools and equipment that will provide exciting new options for your products to be packaged. As we all know the consumer needs a visual and a tactile reason to ultimately select your product over the multitude of other food products on the store shelf. We are studying a number of technologies that will allow us to bring exciting new options to our customers.

Why do our customers buy from us or why do those looking for a package select a tin can from Independent Can? There are many complex answers to this question although the following became apparent to me while listening to presentations being made by the other can suppliers attending the meetings:

            Quality- We work every day to improve; not only the appearance but also the function of our tins.

            On time delivery- Your customers have time tables and needs and we take seriously our commitment to making you look good in your customers’ eyes.

            Honest Communications- We must keep you informed throughout the package development process as to the time table and the delivery plan.

            Value- You have options to select the best package for your product and we must be both competitive and responsive to your needs.

            Knowledgeable- We need to bring you solutions to your packaging problems.

            Consistency- You need to know that Independent Can will over the years will be on time every time with the proper results and solutions.

            Creativity- The retailer and the consumer are ever more demanding new solutions delivered faster and using environmentally friendly materials.

We recognize that we need to bring this all together so that you are able to grow your business with confidence.

How do we manage this in our company?  Every 3 years we undertake a long and serious study of our business; we call this strategic planning. We have just completed the process and have revised our Purpose Statement and our Vision Statement. We believe that our Mission Statement continues to be exactly who we are.

The Purpose:

To develop, design, manufacture and sell packaging and related products.  Meld the structure and design (physical or artistic) requirements to meet the customers’ expectations and enhance the customers Brand Development.

In the accomplishment of our task, the employees of Independent Can Company are the most important asset.  The express goal of the management is to provide a challenging, dynamic, innovative, demanding, and friendly environment.

Each employee of Independent Can Company is expected to show respect for all other employees of the company and commit to making Independent Can Company the best Company it can be.  Employees must set high standards for themselves and have the right to expect the same from their co-workers and management.

Mission Statement:

To Be The Best – Not The Biggest

If all members of the Independent Can Company team do the best job at their respective task each and every day then the following expectations should result:

Loyal Customers, Loyal Employees, Employee’s expectations fulfilled, Company growth, Job security, and Profits sufficient to meet reinvestment needs and a fair return for the shareholders

Vision Statement

To provide innovative and unique packaging solutions to our customers by providing exceptional service and value through our Manufacturing, Lithography and Distribution operations.

The revised statements above help guide all of our decisions. We must take into account all constituencies; customers, employees, suppliers and shareholders while being cognizant of our environmental responsibilities. If in managing the day to day business issues we have the best interest of all of these stakeholders then our business will be successful and thrive. We also expect all stakeholders to hold each of us accountable for these guidelines.

I addition to our corporate guideline we have Core Values that every member of the Independent Can team must abide by:

Core Values Established September 15 & 16, 1999*

Fair:                    Showing equity in decision making while being respectful of others; not arbitrary.

Flexible:              Exhibiting a willingness & ability to adapt to changing situations. Recognizing that our ability to make changes quickly is a competitive advantage.

Market, Customer and Improvement Driven: Accepting that it is the customer’s requirements that dictate what we do and getting better at our performance is not an option.

Dedicated:           Being committed to doing whatever it takes to get the job done well.

Responsible:        Accepting accountability for your actions and results; not making excuses.

Teamwork:           Commonality of goals, unity of thought and action; recognizing that a team is stronger than the sum of the individual parts.

* update March 2010

Thank you again for being a part of the Independent Can Company experience and we look forward to working with you for many years to come.

Independent Can Company

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Sanitary Tin Packages Now Available From Independent Can Company

Sanitary packages

We are a supplier of tin cans comprised of two or three pieces made in automatic and semiautomatic production lines. We produce either plain or beaded side wall cans.

The most common uses for the sanitary tin plate cans are for food products such as beans, mushrooms, fruits, vegetables, tomato, soups, powder milk, tuna, etc.

Easy open lids are available to facilitate the access to the product, all manufacturing processes are carried out with the latest available machinery on a world-wide level.

All sanitary tin plate cans have an 18 month guarantee with the only requirement that best practices of manufacture and the control of temperatures within warehouses and distribution centers are kept.

Diameters               Heights
Straight
   202   -   110.5    304    408    601
   211   -   114       306    409    602
   300   -   200       308    410    604
   303   -   202       311    411     612
   307   -   204       314    413     700
   401   -   205       400    502     708
   404   -   206       402    504     710
   603   -   208       403    510     800

Necked
   209   -   212       406    512    805
   214   -   300       407    600    905


CAPACITIES
Diameters                          Capacities in ounces
202                                  3.0, 3.6 , 4.8 , 6.0 oz
211                                  4.9 , 6.3 , 7.9 , 8.0 , 10.9 , 11.2 , 13.8 , 16.4 oz
300                                  7.3 , 7.5 , 11.0 , 13.55, 15.2 oz
303                                  12.7 , 16.85 oz
307                                  4.9 , 6.3 , 7.9 , 8.0 , 10.9 , 11.2 , 13.8 , 16.4 oz
401                                  14.76, 22.0, 29.75, 36.3 , 36.48 , 37.0 , 43.5, 50.6 oz
404                                  51.70 oz
603                                  68.15 ,68.48 ,85.18, 100.2, 102.2 , 109.45, 141.5 oz
Packages available with their respective normal or easy open lids

If you don't find the package size that you are looking for on this page please let us know and we will be glad to propose a solution or to develop a new package that fills your needs, contact a sales representative.

Food Cans

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Decorative Snap Covers For Hermetic Cans!!

Ryan D. Huether
Independent Can Company
Http://www.westernspecialty.com
CONTACT US

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Packaging Trends

At the 2010 Pack Expo show late last year, a panel of experts representing several leading consumer products companies (P&G, Kraft, Pepsico, Conagra, Heinz) gathered to answer the question: what are the key factors driving packaging choices today? In summary, the panel mentioned the sustainability of the package, its impact on brand value, and its overall impact on production efficiency as being the key drivers of packaging innovation. The entire article presented in Packaging Digest’s January 2011 edition can be seen at www.packagingdigest.com/2011trends.

Independent Can has been a member of the International Packaging Association (IPA) for 15 years, a group of 15 canmakers from 14 countries. At our recent Marketing Meeting in Dubai (U.A.E.), we posed the same question to our members, but from the standpoint of the metal package. What are the key issues in our industry and with our package that we as canmakers need to direct investment towards, in order to address the challenges of our customers in an increasingly competitive global environment?

Investment in cost reduction was at the top of everyone’s list as we all look to offset inflationary trends in the cost of raw materials. Independent Can has invested heavily in sheet fed presses to blank parts more efficiently while reducing changeover times between jobs. We have investigated the downgauging of steel for several items and have consolidated many of our steel specifications in order to allow us more control over steel quality and cost, while reducing lead times. We have also automated the packaging of many of our products. But our largest investments have been in the area of printing, which we now refer to as Hi-Def Lithography, with significant impacts on quality, lead time reduction, and costs.
Sharing the story of the metal can’s sustainability, chiefly recycling properties, was a close second in our informal survey. Steel is the most heavily recycled material in the world, easily separated in recycling centers with magnets, and on average newly produced steel is composed of 56% recycled materials. Steel is infinitely recyclable, and can always be recycled into new steel products, in comparison to plastics which will eventually must be placed in a landfill. We also have a sustainability story to share as a company as we have reduced our energy consumption significantly as we invest in energy saving solutions plant wide, and raise the level of awareness within our employee base on the consumption of many plant and office materials.

Product innovation is also a primary concern among the members of the can manufacturing community. Independent Can developed 10 new domestic can concepts in 2010 and is focused on many new projects for 2011. “Innovation” can mean many things to many people, but often we need to look beyond shape and appearance in packaging. Innovation in metal packaging can represent shape, functionality, automation, design, varnish/appearance, and the many ways we continually improve our operations and look to reduce costs. In these respects Independent Can is truly innovative.

Please make sure to look to our “What’s New” section of our website www.westernspecialty.com for frequent updates and information regarding Independent Can and our products.

Ryan D Huether
909-923-6150
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http://www.canvironmentweek.com/

ShopIndependentCan.com

Shop Independent Can

ShopIndependentCan.com is your one stop shop for small orders (Under $350) of Stock Printed and Solid Color Tins. Whether you are looking for some cookie tins for a bake sale or tins to make gift baskets ShopIndependentCan.com has what you need.

Independent Can Company has the largest stock tin program in the world bringing you the variety you need.

If you do not see what you are looking for or you need assistance please call 909-923-6150 or Contact Us by Clicking Here

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Http://wwww.westernspecialty.com