In September, APV North America Inc. held a grand opening for its new Centre of Excellence in Amherst, N.Y. The $2.5 million facility is APV’s primary and central office for its North American Region. The 43,000 square-foot facility supports sales, design engineering, project management and technology support staff for North America.

Philadelphia-based Crown Holdings Inc. has sold its Global Plastic Closures business to an affiliate of PAI partners, a European private equity firm, for approximately $750 million.

Johnson Refrigerated Truck Bodies, Rice Lake, Wis., unveiled the results of a new partnership with International Truck and Engine Corp. at the 2005 Worldwide Food Expo in Chicago in October. The new product utilizes International’s Diamond Logic™ electrical system and its latest upgrade, the PowerPack 3, a self-contained power supply system built into the vehicle. Johnson’s new product will employ these International systems to increase the range and flexibility of Eutectic cold-plate refrigeration technology.

Pleasant Prairie, Wis.-based Alfa Laval Inc. is offering a free product catalog presenting Alfa Laval, TriClover and Toftejorg products including heat exchangers, pumps, valves, tank equipment and fittings.

FMC BioPolymer, Philadelphia, has increased prices for food and pharmaceutical brand products by 5 to 10 percent on average. Depending on the product line, increases will be applied to list pricing and as contracts permit. Additionally, FMC will pass on increases levied by freight carriers to customers who have delivered pricing. The company says significant cost increases in energy, raw materials and freight are the factors driving this action.

MicroAnalytics Inc., Arlington, Va., has welcomed Fastenal Industrial & Construction Supplies as a new user of its TruckStops Routing & Scheduling software. MicroAnalytics says Fastenal will use this powerful, user-friendly tool to create cost-effective vehicle routes and schedules while reducing transportation costs, increasing driver productivity and improving customer service.

Dahlonega, Ga.-based RefrigiWear announced in October the 10 winners of its sixth-annual Outstanding Warehouseman Award. The winners, nominated by the winners’ supervisors and senior-level management, were selected based on their length of service, integrity, productivity, motivation, attitude and leadership abilities. Nearly 250 nominations, the most ever received by RefrigiWear, were submitted for this year's award from a variety of industries including broadline food distribution, cold storage warehouses, food manufacturers, supermarkets and food services. For a complete list of winners, visit www.refrigiwear.com.

Pack Expo Las Vegas 2005 broke several attendance records in September, increasing the number of exhibitors and net square footage. The show, produced by the Packaging Machinery Manufacturers Institute (PMMI), set new highs in visitor attendance (up 19 percent), exhibitor attendance (up 12 percent) and exhibiting companies (up 23 percent).