"When I think about the benefits Dolco Packaging receives as an FPI member, there are a few that really stand out for me:
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Access to a staff located in the Washington, DC area has been a help to us on a number of issues involving USDA and FTC among others;
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Excellent quality of presentations provide insight into various markets for new products, market situations and packaging ideas;
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Broad-based support can be obtained on industry issues from bio-based materials to foodservice bans to environmental claims;
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Interaction with industry executives helps develop industry unity and beneficial business-to-business opportunities; and
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Broad range of information: human resource surveys, including safety, wage and benefits data; statistics; industry news ad infinitum.”
-- Norman Patterson, Senior Vice President, Dolco Packaging
“With significant participation in foodservice packaging, as a supplier member, FPI acts as a manifold across multiple functional areas at INEOS Styrenics, which allows our organization to connect with processors and end-users to truly understand market and industry needs, wants and future requirements.”
-- Ed Barnes, Vice President, Sales and Marketing, Polystyrene North America, INEOS NOVA LLC
Table of Contents
What are the benefits of membership for Converters and Suppliers?
Here are just a few...
Member Meetings: Voted by FPI members as the most valuable membership benefit, members meet twice a year. Meetings bring together the entire foodservice packaging continuum: material and machinery suppliers, converters, distributors and operators. Programs are designed to be rich in content about issues and concerns confronting the industry and its executives. Every other year FPI members join their colleagues at Pack2Go Europe for joint sessions on the increasingly global foodservice packaging industry.
Executive Briefs: FPI reviews more than 30 foodservice and packaging publications from North America and Europe. Twice a month, information from these sources is distilled into a three-page summary and e-mailed to members.
Annual Foodservice Packaging Industry Surveys and State of the Industry Report: Every year, FPI surveys members and non-members in the foodservice packaging industry in North America and Europe to gather their opinions on foodservice packaging and other issues related to the foodservice industry. Similar surveys are also sent to foodservice operators and distributors. Results of the surveys are combined with data gleaned from Executive Briefs and U.S. Department of Commerce to create an industry snapshot of the year passed and a glimpse of the year ahead.
Legislative Monitoring Service: FPI tracks federal, state and local legislative activities, shares this information with members, and when warranted, asks members to provide their support or opposition to bills.
Market Research: From time to time, FPI conducts market research studies on foodservice packaging products by interviewing hundreds of commercial and non-commercial foodservice operators, as well as foodservice distributors. FPI also reports on foodservice industry trends and statistics through various quarterly and annual reports.
Foodservice Packaging Communications: Every year FPI answers thousands of inquiries about foodservice packaging and packaging manufacturers. In 2008, there were over 94,000 visits to the FPI site. Inquiries come from the public; industry and general news media; operators; distributors; teachers and students; governments and schools.
Foodservice Packaging Product Promotion: FPI touts members’ new products in the quarterly Packaging Innovations and Insights newsletter, sent to over 150 foodservice operators and distributors and dozens of publications in North America and Europe. In addition, members’ products are highlighted in FPI’s online product directory, which includes links that direct potential customers to members’ own sites.
Foodservice Packaging Advisory Council: Composed of foodservice operators and distributors, this group discusses a wide variety of forward-leaning issues affecting the foodservice packaging industry during FPI meetings and conference calls.
Foodservice Packaging Standards Council: This group of product stewardship, marketing and technical experts from member and non-member companies develops industry-wide product testing protocols and technical standards for foodservice packaging.
Foodservice Packaging Awards Competition: Each year, FPI sponsors this competition, designed to honor innovative packaging used in foodservice applications. The competition is open to packaging converters, designers and restaurateurs.
Microbiological Testing and Sanitation Studies: To help members with their Food & Drug Administration food-contact compliance certifications, FPI provides members a service for laboratory testing of their products’ sanitation. The program includes in-plant sanitation surveys. Also, FPI works with public health departments and third-party laboratories to conduct on-site sanitation testing of single-use products used in foodservice venues.
Operational Surveys: FPI conducts annual safety surveys that benchmark converter members’ employee injuries and illnesses. Biennially, surveys are conducted on wage and benefits in the industry.
How do I learn more about FPI?
Take advantage of FPI's FREE trial membership!
For three months, you will receive FPI’s electronic publications: Council Communications, Executive Briefs, Packaging Innovations & Insights and Single Service News. In addition, you will receive other communications as appropriate. You will not, however, have access to FPI’s market research studies. Finally, you will be invited to attend one of FPI's semi-annual meetings.
After your trial membership ends, you will be given the opportunity to join the association for the remainder of the year at a reduced rate.
For more information on this very special offer, please contact Lynn Dyer by e-mail at ldyer@fpi.org or phone at (703) 538-3551.
