Italy produces approximately 50% of the machinery used to produce footwear and leather goods around the world and 80% of tanning machinery globally, according to Assomac, an association that represents Italian manufacturers of machines for footwear, leather and tannery industries. Many of the manufacturers are small, with the entire industry employing approximately 6,200 people in Italy. There…

Pratt Industries (http://www.prattindustries.com) will begin production of eco-friendly paper / packaging with the opening of its state-of-the-art, 100% recycled paper machine in Shreveport, La., which will become a major producer of lightweight paper in North America. The Shreveport mill, Pratt’s third paper machine in the United States, represents a $150 million investment in the future of the…