Six years ago, we launched our "Canned Beer Apocalypse" with a table-top machine (and a very optimistic title) that sealed one can of beer at a time.

Like the proverbial squeaky wheel, the sagging economy is starting to demand our attention-and action. And the packaging community is responding.

We asked shoppers to share their feelings about closures on food and beverage packages. Based on their answers, we’ve grouped them into four types: Appreciators, Ping-Pongs, Avoiders and Questioners.

IGA USA (Independent Grocers Alliance)-the world’s largest voluntary supermarket network with aggregate worldwide retail sales of more than $21 billion per year-provides its retailers with an extensive and sophisticated private-label program. And the labels are a major component of its branding process. What’s interesting is that the organization’s label designers, under the direction of Dave Bennett, IGA senior vice president of procurement and private brands, are rigorously applying three straightforward criteria to make this label program pack the punch it needs.

If you work in manufacturing, you’ve heard the term “Overall Equipment Effectiveness” or its acronym “OEE.” Although widely used, I have found that many people don’t know what it is. Fewer understand it.

As the economy sputters and consumers dig in, instead of hoarding your capital equipment dollars, now might be the best time to buy packaging machinery. Here’s why:The Economic Stimulus Act

One great ice-breaker among food and beverage industry execs is to talk about the calls they’ve received from people who want to break into the business. I’m sure you and/or your colleagues have fielded them; magazines get them, too. I’m talking about the guy whose mother-in-law makes this great beef stew, and it would sell like wildfire if they could just get it into the supermarkets.

The meat industry is facing widespread challenges. People are being advised to eat less of it for health reasons. Plus safety questions about antibiotics, hormones, e-coli and now cloning have consumers a bit on edge.

Last month we discussed the problems that U.S. companies faced during 2007 with respect to products imported from China that posed serious health and safety concerns and subsequently had to be recalled.

If you think training is expensive, consider the alternative. One way to classify training is task specific and general. An example of task specific training is teaching operators how to run a particular machine. An example of general training is teaching mechanics effective troubleshooting skills to be used throughout the plant. Both are essential to ensure smooth running lines.