Dick Storat

President, Richard Storat & Associates, Inc.

Secretary/Treasurer, Paper Shipping Sack Manufacturers’ Association (PSSMA)

A Shifting Economy: What the Corrugated Industry Needs to Know

Times are good for the consumer—and that translates into healthy demand for corrugated boxes. But with increasing political uncertainty and trade tensions growing, the business outlook may not stay so cheery. Dick will offer a forecast for the future, covering overall economic trends as well as corrugated-specific insights. This session is a must for anyone offering printing plates, cutting dies, and other products and services to the corrugated sector.

Bio: Richard E. (Dick) Storat is the founder and president of Richard Storat & Associates, Inc., a management and economic consulting firm for the forest products industry. He also serves as Secretary/Treasurer of the Paper Shipping Sack Manufacturers’ Association, where he manages the Multiwall Sack Recycling Program. Prior to his current roles, he served as Vice President, Corporate Affairs and Chief Information Officer at Gaylord Container Corporation as well as the Chief Economist for the American Forest & Paper Association.

Colleen Larkin Twomey

Associate Professor, Graphic Communication, California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo

What’s Next for Packaging?

As overall packaging and consumer trends affect boxmakers—our customers—flexo prepress suppliers need to remain adaptable and responsive to changing needs. It all trickles down, so it’s crucial to stay on top of the latest trends and updates. Pulling from her expertise as a professor and an industry veteran, Colleen will discuss broad trends in packaging that could affect FPPA members. She’ll cover the digital store shelf, the unboxing experience, the latest in sustainability initiatives, and much more.

Bio: With thirty years in the printing and graphic communications space, Colleen Larkin Twomey has developed a wide range of experience and expertise—working both in the industry and in the classroom. Currently a professor of Graphic Communication, she teaches courses such as Flexographic Printing, Consumer Packaging, and Digital File Preparation and Workflow. Prior to joining academia, she was a fixture in the industry, serving more than twenty years at MacDermid Printing Solutions.