U.S. Assistant Secretary of Commerce, Al Frink, will open Packaging Strategies 2005 with a keynote address on the loss of competitiveness among consumer packaged goods (CPG) producers and their key suppliers in the $120 billion North American packaging industry to an emerging contingent of offshore consumer goods and packaging powerhouse economies.

The conference will be held March 29-31 at The Intercontinental Buckhead, in Atlanta.

Assistant Secretary Frink will address the Department of Commerce’s efforts to foster trade relations within the auspices of the World Trade Organization to establish fair, but competitive manufacturing and trade policies outside the realm of protectionist measures.

Packaging Strategies has extended the pre-registration cut-off date to March 11. More information: call Karen Close at (610) 935-2183; E-mail: [email protected].