Flexible Packaging Innovation Showcase 2006

3M Filtrete Filter Bag
Printpack Inc.

The 3M Filtrete Filter Bag moves a large product from a traditional paperboard insert with shrink overwrap to a printed flexible bag with high impact graphics. The various 3M filters have a more consistent look on the shelf that helps in branding for easy product recognition. The new package is easier to open and reduces damage to the product during removal. The consumer can also use the empty bag to discard of the used furnace filter.

Judged in Packaging Excellence.

Appawtizers Party Mix for Dogs, 25 Oz.
Printpack Inc.

This colorful die cut package stands up, and out, on the shelf. This new and stylish shape, working in concert with the graphic image, differentiates this package from others on the grocery shelf. A recloseable zipper makes it an attractive storage container in the kitchen and ensures product freshness until the last treat is consumed. This eye catching design promotes itself with its unique three-sided die cut shape and colorful graphics. Enhanced shelf presence makes this package "stand-up with style!"

Judged in Packaging Excellence.

Barilla Restaurant Creations Stacked Pasta Sauce Jars
Alcoa Flexible Packaging

Barilla, the world leader in pasta production, recently launched its U.S. based Restaurant Creations Pasta Sauces in a two-stacked jar bundling composition using an Alcoa eight-color reverse printed 50 micron PETG shrink sleeve. This new, revolutionary way to provide restaurant-quality pasta sauce for consumers to prepare at home, features a unique hourglass shaped "dual jar" that contains two sauces, each prepared separately to allow the fresh ingredients to maintain their integrity, quality and flavor.

Judged in Packaging Excellence.

BASF Fendona 6® Pouch
CLP Industries Ltd.

The BASF Fendona 6® Pouch uses stand-up pouch technology and special features including laser scoring and a zipper to facilitate cost-effective distribution and easy use of a vital tool in the fight against malaria-bearing mosquitoes in Africa. Sturdy construction, easy-to-understand pictograms that communicate correct product use, and several built-in convenience features help ensure success from the manufacturer, to the aid warehouse, to the point of use in rural Africa.

Judged in Packaging Excellence.

Battistoni Italian Style Meatball
Polymer Packaging Inc.

The detail and crisp graphics achieve image sharpness. Higher densities and the technical printing detail accomplished with this bag has increased sales for this product packer. With the success of this product launch, Rich-Seapak will introduce new items this spring. The superior graphics have provided the shelf appearance and brand packaging this product line required while increasing sales and brand recognition.

Judged in Printing Innovation.

Bemis Clysar ShrinkBox™ Film
Bemis Clysar, Inc.

Bemis Clysar ShrinkBox™ Film is a high-clarity, abuse-defying biaxially-oriented shrink film strong enough to replace other packaging alternatives like shipping cartons, allowing products to be displayed in their original packaging. ShrinkBox™ film is the answer to many packaging challenges that require extreme product protection along with outstanding product appearance. It features the highest puncture, abrasion and tear resistance of any shrink film. Its excellent shrinkage properties guarantee perfect conformance to the product shape, creating taut packages.

Judged in Packaging Excellence and Technical Innovation.

Betty Crocker Shredded Parmesan Cheese and Garlic & Herb Seasoning
Printpack Inc.

This package was printed with conventional photopolymer plates using flexocal separations. Reverse printed on 48 gauge polyester laminated to metallized. It displays high level graphics with gradations, screens, subtle highlights, contrast and sharp definition. Multiple ingredients were styled to create an appetizing image that runs continuously across the dual package face panels while each bag maintains its separate identity with the illustrated icons and banners. The tandem type package is appealing and easy to use.

Judged in Printing Innovation.

Blue Bunny Chill Pouch
Alcan Packaging

Wells' Dairy/Blue Bunny launched this new fitmented pouch to complement their Chill line of slushee fruit flavored ice products currently packed in paperboard cups. The retail product is packed with six, 3.7 ounce pouches per box. The package design features a fitment with screw-off/on cap. Chill pouches are marketed in the frozen novelty section of supermarkets across most of the nation. In addition, a larger 5.2 ounce size is sold individually into the C-Store channel.

Judged in Packaging Excellence.

Blue View Cook A Carrot
Flex Pack USA, Inc.

This pouch is great for convenience shoppers. This is a microwavable package. You actually cook the product in the pouch for 2-3 minutes and serve it right out the pouch. At a very reasonable cost you also have a package that is easily displayed. It can be customed designed to work with various vegetables, including broccoli, cauliflower, spinach, peppers and zucchini.

Judged in Technical Innovation.

Bridgford Diced Pepperoni, 6 Oz.
Cadillac Products Packaging Company

The Bridgford Diced Pepperoni, 6 Oz. package represents a new concept in the marketing of pepperoni. The targeted marketing design reinforces the concept to the consumer that "pepperoni isn't just for pizza." Bridgford takes advantage of a larger, vertically filled pouch by utilizing both panels to display healthy uses of the product. The package illustrates that environmentally favored water based inks are alive and well in reverse printed flexo film laminations. Cadillac Products Packaging Company printed this eight color design on PVDC coated polyester and adhesive laminated it to their proprietary EVOH/LLDPE coextruded sealant.

Judged in Printing Innovation.

Cacao Noel Fondue au Chocolat Pouch
LPS Industries

The Cacao Noel Fondue au Chocolat Pouch is the perfect package. Its point of sale appeal, stand-up structure and mouth-watering graphics are good for the retailer. Its promise of gourmet taste with minimal preparation entices the consumer. This package is a chocolate fondue lover's dream come true! It has all the ingredients for a gourmet taste without the extensive preparation and clean up aspect of the traditional fondue. This presentation really blends the consumer's parallel preference for good taste and minimal effort.

Judged in Packaging Excellence.

Campbell’s Cream of Mushroom Soup, 12 Pack
Pliant Corporation™

The objective of this package is to appeal to the consumer. The LDPE shrink film clarity and gloss add to the print quality. The new package improves the merchandising and product appeal at the point of purchase. This package allows the retailer end isle and shelf display options to improve sales volume.

Judged in Packaging Excellence and Technical Innovation.

Cargill - Simply Done Whole Young Turkey
Nordenia International

Cargill set itself apart from its competitors by not only using a premade bag for its whole turkeys, but by also using high quality rotogravure printing technology to maximize shelf presence. The photo quality representation of the product leaves nothing to the imagination of the consumer, and presents the value added product and package features that justify a premium market price. The package offers an easy carry handle for consumer convenience, product protection and tamper evidence, and easy, sanitary clean-up.

Judged in Packaging Excellence and Printing Innovation.

Compression Pack for Cryovac® Dri-Loc® Pads
Cryovac Food Packaging Division, Sealed Air Corporation

The Compression Pack is a space saving packaging format for Cryovac Dri-Loc® absorbent pads. Its compact construction allows more pads to fit in less space for greater efficiency in shipping and warehouse space. Made of flexible packaging material with an easy-open feature, the Compression Pack for Cryovac® Dri-Loc® pads is easier to use, employs less material and produces less waste than conventional corrugated cartons.

Judged in Environmental Achievement.

ConAgra – Kid Cuisine Chicken Nuggets
Nordenia International

For this product, ConAgra chose to package the products in a flexo printed, high quality laminate pillow bag. The outstanding reproduction of color and graphic quality of this near, rotogravure quality pillow bag has been very successful on the market. The consistent print quality and high performance of the package for product protection and consumer use has made this bag a winner!

Judged in Printing Innovation.

Cracker Slug Wrap
Pliant Corporation™

An innovative combination of materials upgraded a five layer coextruded blown film to a seven layer coextruded film. This film delivers excellent package machine performance along with a consumer friendly EZ peel system. The materials in this film are optimized to deliver improved OTR and strength properties. Materials used provide better organoleptics for product improvement. All enhancements are provided at a lower per package cost compared to the conventional material.

Judged in Technical Innovation.

Cryovac® CN530TBG Bag
Cryovac Food Packaging Division, Sealed Air Corporation

The Cryovac® CN530TBG Bag combines the heat tolerance of a cook-in bag with the high abuse protection and outstanding appearance of Cryovac® TBG Bags. The result is a high abuse bag for bone-in, cook-in and post pasteurization applications that offers excellent retail presentation. This truely unique material enables processors to reduce leaks, improve product yields and minimize overall packaging costs by combining the performance attributes of two bags into one.

Judged in Technical Innovation.

Cryovac® iBag™ Shrink Package using InfoWrap™ Technology
Cryovac Food Packaging Division, Sealed Air Corporation

The Cryovac® iBag™ Shrink Package using InfoWrap™ information-ready packaging technology is a new, revolutionary packaging concept that enables unique identification of a product throughout its life cycle. This packaging system can provide integrated solutions for data capture, sharing and analysis. An InfoWrap™ enabled package allows recipients to scan the package to retrieve existing data or add more data - all in a standardized and efficient manner.

Judged in Technical Innovation.

Cryovac® Saddle Pack Multi-Unit Vacuum Package for Fresh Chicken
Cryovac Food Packaging Division, Sealed Air Corporation

The Cryovac® Saddle Pack Multi-Unit Vacuum Package is a new packaging concept for fresh chicken parts that utilizes a unique non-barrier rollstock thermoform material to create multiple portions in a saddlebag configuration. The package is perforated to allow consumers to easily separate portions for meal preparation and reserve remaining sections for later use without re-packaging or re-wrapping the product. Because this is a vacuum package, concerns about freezer burn, which can affect the quality of the product, are eliminated.

Judged in Packaging Excellence and Technical Innovation.

Cryovac® Simple Steps™ for Produce
Cryovac Food Packaging Division, Sealed Air Corporation

The Simple Steps™ for Produce package is an easy open microwavable package designed to steam cook fresh and frozen vegetables in two minutes or less, while offering a healthy and convenient meal solution. The vacuum skin format conforms to the contours of the product improving presentation, merchandising appeal and shelf life, especially for difficult-to-package products such as asparagus, green beans and broccoli. This innovative technology is perfect for fresh and frozen vegetables in single and multiple servings and is the ideal package for retail, food service and vending machines.

Judged in Technical Innovation.

Day Saver Ice Enemy
Flex Pack USA, Inc.

This pouch is a home run for any granular product that has to be distributed evenly in a small to medium size area. There is no need for additional equipment, no preping tools and no special training is needed. Simply cut and spread, zip close and store for later use.

Judged in Packaging Excellence.

Del Pino Pizza Crust
Prime Graphics Inc.

This package is printed on a specially engineered COMCO press that is 22 inches wide. The prime package is printed in eight colors, four process and four PMS colors. The inks are water based and the varnish is a new FDA approved UV varnish. We use DuPont high definition digital engraved plates produced on the FAST system. This low dot gain plate allows us to provide very high quality process and screen work. The COMCO press with its Proglide and Vari-print system allows us to print these graphics with less than two percent dot gain and excellent registration.

Judged in Printing Innovation.

DuPont Cool2go® Wrap
DuPont Packaging and Industrial Polymers

The specially engineered DuPont "Cool2Go”™ wrap is a thin, insulating layer, which protects beverages from heat transferred from warm hands, condensation and outside temperature. The "Cool2Go"™ wrap is made by placing a high-tech, polymer insulation between two layers of DuPont Teijin Films™ Melinex® film. The patented process produces a thin thermal barrier that locks in coldness. Cool2go® wrap keeps drinks colder, longer. They come right on the can or bottle, so they're always there when you need them!

Judged in Packaging Excellence and Technical Innovation.

Duraflame - Quick Coals
Nordenia International

The innovative FlexBox packaging produced for Duraflame was a first for the charcoal market, replacing the traditional multiwall paper bags. Duraflame went to market with their new product in an innovative package that offered something new for the consumer. The outer bag is used for carrying and storing three ready-to-light inner paper bags, and significantly improves the consumers’ ease in use of the product. This unique flexible package allowed them to differentiate their brand from the competitor and expand the options for display to the outdoor garden areas as well.

Judged in Packaging Excellence.

Einstone Activator
Flex Pack USA, Inc.

The design of the Einstone Activator pouch allows you to attach it to a bag or bucket. This was made for a liquid activator component for sand topping mixture. To use, you simply tear the top of the pouch and pour into the sand bag through the spout, recap the spout and mix. Also, because it is a pouch, we were able to reverse print in six colors and have great graphics. For packaging, storing, distribution and display, the pouch is attached through two holes at the top of the pouch to the rope handle of the master pouch.

Judged in Packaging Excellence.

EZ Street Cold Asphalt
Flex Pack USA, Inc.

The package incorporates great graphics and a re-closable zipper. The EZ Street Cold Asphalt package is durable and is able to hold 35 pounds of cold asphalt.

Judged in Packaging Excellence.

First Years Easy Pour Milk Storage Bags
Exopack, LLC

The First Years Easy Pour Milk Storage Bags make the pouring of precious breast milk from a bag into a bottle worry-free. The unique easy-grip handle and pour spout, plus self-standing design, helps prevent spills and makes upright storage a possibility. It is easy to view how much milk is in an individual pouch and the date at which it was expressed. In addition, the clear material with the graduated measurements allows for the caregiver to record the amount of milk a baby consumes per serving.

Judged in Packaging Excellence.

Fisherman's Friend Strong Mint
Amcor Flexibles

Convenience is the key to gaining customer loyalty. Larger portion packs are more economical but they require adequate re-closure systems. Amcor Flexibles offers a revolutionary solution: Amcor EasyPack. It is is a unique package configuration combined with special peelable materials to give a practical, elegant solution to the convenience of easy opening and reclosure. This is a consumer friendly pack, ideal for a wide variety of products, which ensures brand identiy is retained throughout the life of the product.

Judged in Technical Innovation.

Food Lion Sugar, 10 Lbs.
Flex Pack USA, Inc.

The 10 pound sugar pouch is very durable. It is reverse printed on polyester and laminated to a co-ex white PE. It is a very cost effective way to market your multiple use products. It is easy to use, store, pack and market. The most important benefit of this package is that it has great barrier properties and works well with many items out in the market already.

Judged in Packaging Excellence.

Fromm Adult Gold Dog Food Quad Seal Pouch, 33 Lbs.
Polymer Packaging Inc.

The Fromm Adult Gold Dog Food Quad Seal Pouch is the future of pet food packaging. It has tremendous eye appeal and superior strength compared to the old multi-wall bag. The one-way valve eliminates pillowing when sealed. This package squares up nicely in transport and on the shelf. This has proven to be a real win for the customer!

Judged in Packaging Excellence and Technical Innovation.

Ginger Evans Chocolate Chip & Peanut Butter Cookie Mix
Prime Graphics

This substrate was reversed printed on a COMCO 22 inch Proglide Press in eight colors, four PMS and four process colors. The ink system and the adhesives used to laminate are all water-based. Unlike many other narrow web laminations the entire process of printing and laminating is done in-line. We use DuPont high definition digital engraved plates produced on the FAST system. This low dot gain plate allows us to provide very high quality process and screen work. The COMCO press with its Proglide and Vari-print system allows us to print these graphics with less than 2 percent dot gain and excellent registration.

Judged in Printing Achievement.

Gleukos® Performance Beverage
Ampac Flexibles – A Division of Ampac Packaging

The Gleukos® custom stand-up pouch is the first performance drink package that has been designed to mold to the body when placed in an athletic apparel pocket. The hourglass shape makes it easy for the consumer to hold and drink from. Additionally, the pouch features Ampac Flexibles' Smart Spout™ fitment/valve combination, which makes accessing Gleukos® spill and leak proof. Ampac Flexibles overcame challenges in height-to-width ratios, fitment inserting, filling and printing to help bring this innovative sports drink formulation to market.

Judged in Packaging Excellence and Printing Innovation.

Golden Dollah (Cardamon)
Flex America Inc.

This is a product that provides a high level of consumer convenience, while ensuring the product is kept intact, even after partial usage with the incorporation of the slider zipper. At the same time, a gusset on three sides of the package ensure proper stackability and a highly aesthetic look.

Judged in Technical Innovation.

Hampton Farms - Gourmet Roast Peanut Containers
The Robinette Company

The customer wanted the packages to be located in the produce department of grocery stores. This required that the package be partially transparent, allowing the consumer to see the product. This package can be displayed in any part of the store, improving options regarding shelf space. The package is tamper resistant but still allows the consumer to view the product. Once at home, the package is resealable. Shrink sleeve technology was the only application that provided the marketing impact the customer invisioned.

Judged in Packaging Excellence and Printing Innovation.

Hampton Farms Premier Jumbo Peanuts “Heffalump” Promo
The Robinette Company

This package repesents an improvement in print quality by using Kodak Maxtone Screening Technology and digital plates for Flexography. The use of high quality flexo printing can provide quick turnaround, which is required for promotional packaging. The high resolution graphics on this package promote the DVD release of Disney's “Heffalump” movie. This ten color, 150 line print is an example of the most recent improvements of flexo printing. This job was reverse printing on polyprop with water base inks.

Judged in Printing Innovation.

Herr's Crisp and Tasty Embossed Holiday Promotion
Printpack Inc.

This development in flexible packaging opens the door to many new special effects in design. The detail in the surface texture has both visual and tactile appeal. The printed graphics are laminated in register to the embossed images. The reflective properties of the relief image work with the inks on the printed layer further enhance its color and cause the light to shimmer. This innovative package has a unique physical dimension, which create an unexpected experience for the consumer in both the look and feel of the package.

Judged in Technical Innovation.

Hershey's All Time Greats
American Packaging Corporation

The use of flexographic digital plates was an excellent decision for Hershey Foods Corporation to illustrate its high quality product image. The eye catching design, combined with superior graphic reproduction, creates a finished package that has excellent store shelf presence, and accomplishes the goal of capturing unplanned consumer purchases.

Judged in Printing Innovation.

Hershey's Chocolate Town Favorites
American Packaging Corporation

This reverse printed package uses digital plate technology to produce superior flexographic print reproduction. The glossy appearance and superior reproduction of the candy graphics achieved the customer's goal of marketing its product in a package that is visually appealing, functional and exhibits excellent retail shelf presence.

Judged in Printing Innovation.

Hill Country Fare Dog Biscuit Family, 4 Lb.
Gibraltar Packaging Group, Inc.

Packaging for dog biscuits has never looked so good, or been as functional as it is in this family of stand-up recloseable pouches. The use of clear substrates enables the end consumer to view the superior product in the package, and the reclosable feature ensures freshness of the biscuits. Reverse printing techniques prevent damage to the package and ensures the retailer is provided with a product that has an outstanding shelf presence that sells itself.

Judged in Packaging Excellence.

Hot N Handy® Grab N’ Go Pouch
Robbie Manufacturing, Inc.

Hot N Handy® pouches, great for grab-n-go snack foods, are now designed to fit in cup holders. This new innovative solution holds both hot and cold foods for foodservice and deli counters. A built-in handle for easy carrying, microwave abilities for reheating, resealable zipper and built-in, anti-fog characteristics that keep the window crystal clear for viewing products, are just a few of the benefits created with consumers in mind. The new Grab N' Go design is great for healthy snacks like carrot and celery sticks, apples and cheese sticks. The new venting technology was developed to keep foods fresh and crisp. The pouch is also great for holding fried foods like, chicken drummetts, popcorn shrimp, chicken, potato wedges and more.

Judged in Packaging Excellence.

Hot N Handy® Popcorn Chicken Pouch
Robbie Manufacturing, Inc.

Hot N Handy® Popcorn Chicken Pouches are designed for both hot and cold foodservice and deli counters. The pouches have a built-in handle for easy carrying, a resealable zipper, food can be reheated, in the bag, in the microwave, and built in antifog characteristics to keep the window crystal clear for viewing product. Designed with crispiness in mind, our product development team set out to develop a pouch that would maintain the crispy texture of fried popcorn chicken while keeping the chicken tender and moist. Built with a new shape to fit in cup holders, Hot N Handy® pouches are great for grabbing a snack in a hurry.

Judged in Packaging Excellence.

In-Line Printed Diaper Backsheet
Pliant Corporation™

Pliant Corporation™ is once again demonstrating our commitment to cost effective production processes with our in-line printed backsheet product offering. This unique process provides the most cost effective and lowest time to manufacture compared to traditional off line extrusion and printing processes. All products in retail infant, feminine hygiene and adult care are looking for enhanced market appeal and differentiation via printing technology. This process makes this demand a cost effective reality.

Judged in Packaging Excellence and Technical Innovation.

Institutional Fry Bag
Pliant Corporation™

The Institutional Fry Bag is a patent pending four layer, coextruded blown film, featuring an innovative peel seal technology that is designed for packaging French fries sold to fast food restaurants. This packaging is replacing the 3.5 mil extrusion coated paper/poly structure, because new, low trans fat oils, now being used to pre-cook French fries, are wicking into the paper and degrading the traditionally utilized paper/poly structure. This packaging eliminated the oil wicking issue because it is inherently impervious to oil.

Judged in Technical Innovation.

Jacob's Well Water Pouch
CLP Industries Ltd.

The innovative Jacob's Well Water Pouch utilizes state-of-the-art PE formulated to protect water from off-tastes, as well as a screw-top fitment. The barrier properties of the PET/PE laminate offer a two-year shelf life, while the stand-up design makes display easy and attractive. The result is water from a Biblical well delivered in a thoroughly modern, high performing, eye-catching package.

Judged in Technical Innovation.

Kerrygold® Aged Cheddar in Simulated “Parchment” Package
Curwood, Inc.

The Kerrygold® Aged Cheddar in Simulated “Parchment” Package is an exceptional package with simple qualities. To give the film its unique look and feel, the package is flexo-process printed in white and then covered with a matte varnish finish. The result is a package that provides consumers with the “old world” look and feel, successfully adding value to the product without changing the film structure or product ingredients.

Judged in Packaging Excellence.

KiMs Polly Peanuts, 350 G
Amcor Flexibles

The pack is a Flexcan (flexible can) with easy opening and recloseability features. The patented solution enables the consumer to open and close the bag without any risks of spilling the product.The stand-up properties inherent in the concept gives a striking impact on shelves. Effective logistics enable flexible packaging to be used as an alternative in areas previously reserved for tin cans and glass jars.

Judged in Packaging Excellence.

Kraft Natural Cheese Crumbles
Alcan Packaging

The Kraft Crumbles retail, natural cheese SUP is a package incorporating many leading technologies. Combining a clear, high barrier EVOH lamination with state of the art, digital flexo seven-color process “extended color gamut” printing offers a high impact appearance and provides a full six-month shelf life. The pouch also utilizes LaserTear scoring, which creates an easy open feature, in-conjunction with the Zip-Pak® slider zipper system for optimum consumer convenience. This package is a testament to overall packaging excellence.

Judged in Packaging Excellence.

Kraft Twist Bag
Amcor Flexibles

The Kraft Twist Bag represents an upgrade of one of Scandinavia`s leading chocolate brands. By using Amcor Flexibles’ patented sealing technology in the non-oriented PP-film inside, easy opening possibilities and improved body and tear resistance are introduced to the pack. This means that past tearing problems have been overcome. Combined with a re-design of the pack and an improved selection of chocolates inside, this represents a major re-launch of an old favorite.

Judged in Packaging Excellence.

Kroger Noodles and Sauce, Chicken & Broccoli Flavor
Amgraph Packaging, Inc.

Amgraph Packaging, Inc. was able to meet the demands of its customers by providing them with strong and eye catching, glossy graphics while improving on the structural integrity of its current package design. Amgraph Packaging, Inc. was able to eliminate the defects that were occuring to the product due to its package design, and increase its functionality and shelf appeal, while employing environmentally friendly technology to accomplish this goal.

Judged in Printing Innovation.

Lazy Joe™ (“No Clean Up!”) Brush and Roll Wrappers
LPS Industries

Lazy Joe™ Paint Wrappers are unique. These preservative wrappers virtually eliminate the need to clean paint brushes and rollers. They are also great for long term storage. The wrappers use the moisture from the paint itself to naturally preserve the life of expensive or favorite brushes/rollers, and fit most standard-sized brushes/rollers. Both the professional and the occasional painter will applaud this breakthrough product.

Judged in Printing Innovation.

Lipton Tea Pod Pouch
American Packaging Corporation

Unilever once again uses innovative thinking to enhance and differentiate its products via flexible packaging. This Unilever tea pod stand-up pouch application is a line extension focused on distancing this product from the traditional, individually wrapped tea bags packaged in a box. The stand-up pouch is aesthetically appealing. The move from a box to a stand-up pouch demonstrates that Unilever is environmentally sensitive by reducing materials sent to the landfill.

Judged in Printing Innovation.

M & M's Holiday Special
Sonoco Products Company

When Masterfoods wanted to create a premium package for their holiday themed M&M candies they turned to Sonoco. SonoMet was the answer. The SonoMet technology provides an attractive, cost effective alternative to metallized packaging. By using Sonoco's SonoMet technology, a combination of ink and cylinder technologies aligns specific cylinder engraving patterns and design manipulations, giving the packaging a metallized appearance. SonoMet technology increases speed to market by eliminating the need for the chemically-resistant varnish process required by demetallization (dement) for a more environmentally friendly package. SonoMet also reduces material costs by eliminating the need for metallized film.

Judged in Packaging Excellence, Printing Innovation and Technical Innovation.

Margarita in a Pouch
Exopack, LLC

This spouted pouch with its integrated handle, provides consumers with a method to mix their favorite cocktail without the use of a blender or measuring cup. This expands the market penetration of the product by making it portable for the
on-the-go consumer. The oversized fitment (50 mm) allows for easy filling by the consumer and the integrated handle gives leverage for smooth pouring into cups or glasses. The clear window on the back of the pouch allows the consumer to use the measurement marks for adding the appropriate amounts of fluid ingredients.

Judged in Packaging Excellence.

Market Pantry Whole Fruit
Polymer Packaging Inc.

The detail and crisp graphics achieve image sharpness, higher densities and offer a package that compares to roto gravure quality. With berries that appear very real and ready to eat, the package captures the consumers' attention at the point-of-purchase through enhanced graphics using a stand-up resealable package. The superior graphic quality has given the product line the shelf apperance and brand packaging required, which in turn has increased sales.

Judged in Printing Innovation.

Marks & Spencer Sauces
CLP Industries Ltd.

Marks and Spencer's gorgeous sauce pouch enrobe the high-performing laminates of the stand-up pouch in rich, luminous graphics, communicating the luxury of the brand on a panel much larger than the jars it replaced. The clever use of white CPP gives the pouch structural integrity as well as a background of rich white, reducing the need for a heavy lay-down of white ink and ensuring elegant results on the rotogravure press.

Judged in Printing Innovation.

Martha White Chewy Fudge Traditional Brownie Mix, 22.5 Oz.
The Robinette Company

This package represents a family of 35 design SKU's and the use of digital plate for flexography have provided consistant graphic reproduction of the entire product line. The use of a digital workflow has reduced cycle times so the consumer product company can get their products to market quicker. The use of water base ink on a solventless laminator represents a technical achievement. The 2.5 mil white coex nylon provides an improved structural enhancement.

Judged in Printing Innovation.

McDonald's Apple Dippers
Printpack Inc.

The ability to bring a pre-portioned, sealed package of cut and peeled, ready-to-eat apples to the fast food menu makes Apple Dippers a first in the growing trend to offer healthier meal options. Micro perforation technology allows the produce to breathe and protects the freshness of the apples for 7-10 days. The graphic design features Ronald McDonald and bold vibrant colors. The peelable easy-to-open seal makes this a totally kid-friendly experience.

Judged in Technical Innovation.

Metallized Bread Bag
Pliant Corporation™

The metallized bread bag is a dramatic development in a fairly traditional market. This bag makes an immediate impact on the grocer’s shelves and catches the consumers fancy. It’s shiny and colorful with a square bottom seal. The film was specially formulated so it can seal well, be metallized smoothly, be printed elegantly and “pop” on the store shelves.

Judged in Packaging Excellence.

Miracle Grow
Flex America Inc.

This is a package with high quality rotogravure printing in eight colors with high quality graphics by using fine screens. UV light fast inks have been used so that the shades remain intact even if exposed to direct sunlight for a long time. The slider zipper provides consumer convenience and the gusset provided at the bottom ensures easy stackability.

Judged in Packaging Excellence and Printing Innovation.

Nature's Friend - Degradable Bakery Bag
Pliant Corporation™

The Pliant Corporation™ Nature's Friend – Degradable Bakery Bag demonstrates our commitment to the innovation and exploration of environmentally friendly products and processes. This package demonstrates how a simple product can be converted to degradable materials without sacrificing package properties. By providing consumer peace of mind, our customers have the opportunity to capture market share, particularly with those consumers looking for environmentally friendly products.

Judged in Packaging Excellence and Environmental Achievement.

Nestle Hot Chocolate Syrup Bottle, 90 Oz.
Alcoa Flexible Packaging

Nestle USA has introduced its new hot chocolate syrup, 90 ounce bottle in an eight color, reverse printed 50 micron PETG shrink label from Alcoa Flexible Packaging. The warm, rich colors and tasteful looking chocolate invite club consumers to develop a brand loyalty to this new syrup and easily make a cup of hot, or iced, chocolate by simply adding water. The new Nestle syrup does not require refrigeration after opening and is available in club stores.

Judged in Printing Innovation.

Nestle Toll House Semi Sweet Morsels
Sonoco Products Company

Nestle Toll House Morsels laser score bag gives consumers a new level of convenience. Now, they can easily open the package to expose the zipper closure. Historically, consumers had to use scissors to open the package or the tear propagation did not work properly, damaging the package’s reclosable feature. The use of a new sealant film and Sonoco’s ability to laser score provides an easy-to-open package for consumers.

Judged in Packaging Excellence and Technical Innovation.

Novartis Thin Strips™
Amcor Flexibles

The Novartis Thin Strips™ package incorporates child resistance, high quality graphics, portability and patient safety in a peelable unit dose pouch for oral thin film strips. A collaborative development effort between Novartis Consumer Health, Cardinal Health, Doyen Medipharm, together with the use of Amcor Flexibles’ LFM peelable foil laminate, yielded a primary package with a unique, senior-friendly, child resistant opening that combines a tear notch with a peelable chevron seal inside. Cardinal Health has a patent pending on the pouch design, and is the only high speed packager of unit dose thin film strips in the world.

Judged in Packaging Excellence and Technical Innovation.

O'Brien-Style Shredded Potatoes, 20 Oz.
American Packaging Corporation

This reverse printed package utilizes a new flexographic prepress plate making process to significantly improve graphic reproduction. This technology offers increased image sharpness, brighter colors, higher densities, smoother vignette and cleaner text. The artwork design and superior printing enhances shelf presence to capture the consumer's attention at the point of purchase.

Judged in Printing Innovation.

Pacific Cheese Bulk Shredded Cheese Package Featuring Curwood’s Curpolene® 7195 Film
Curwood, Inc.

The Pacific Cheese Bulk Shredded Cheese Package utilizes Curwood’s Curpolene® 7195 Film. This new film structure meets the demand for higher quality shredded cheese films by delivering reduced leaker rates, longer shelf life and enhanced barrier properties. Part of the Curpolene portfolio, 7195 film offers superior stiffness, machinability and dependability that makes Curpolene® the preferred standard for shredded cheese packaging.

Judged in Packaging Excellence and Technical Innovation.

Peelable Autoclave Foil Package
Alcan Packaging

Peelable F/F/S/ Top Web, Lidding or Pouch Front Web:
Lamination of PET/Adhesive/Foil/Adhesive/Peelable Coextruded Film -

F/F/S Bottom Web or Pouch Back Web:
Lamination of PET/Adhesive/Foil/Adhesive/Polypropylene -

Judged in Technical Innovation.

Pepperidge Farm Artisan Breads
Printpack Inc.

This package was printed with digital photopolymer plates. Printing with these plates allowed us to print much sharper, positive type while still holding open thin rules, and copy, in dropout areas. Definition is gained in the highlights to bring a wider range of color appearance to the process image. The overall design of the package promotes warm, appetizing bread that is process printed, which enhances its appearance on the shelf. It displays tight overall registration and a crisp image of the bread loaves. The background was crafted using a single color and screening to get the look and feel of a fresh old world style bread bag with a matte paper like finish.

Judged in Printing Innovation.

Pepperidge Farm Whims Crispy Waves
New England Extrusion Inc.

NEX, Sonoco and Pepperidge Farm teamed up to provide a truly unique package for the new Whims Crispy Waves. The can lidding is a structure that utilizes an NEX specialty sealant material. This unique sealant offers a clean easy peel seal to the irregular sealing surface of the paperboard cup stock, while still providing a strong enough seal to withstand high altitudes. In addition, there is a wide seal range for temperature flexibility during high speed processing and excellent caulking ability around the cup's lip seam.

Judged in Packaging Excellence.

Pet Ecology Spouted Pouch
Exopack, LLC

This spouted pouch, with its integrated pour spout, provides functionality and convenience for consumers. The large 50 mm spout fitment, placed at an angle, allows for easy pouring of the package contents. It is used to package a product that replaces 21 pounds of ordinary cat litter. The traditional litter is typically sold in plastic pails. The uniqueness of this litter product lent itself to new, innovative packaging to convey its "specialness."

Judged in Packaging Excellence.

Pilgrim's Pride Grilled Breast Strips
Nordenia International

When Pilgrim's Pride launched their fully cooked product line they chose to go in a new direction for packaging. Rotogravure printing was used for the laminated stand-up pouch. Superior graphics and package performance drove a successful initial market launch. The outstanding product presentation on both front and back panels catches the consumers' eye and communicates product information. The reclosable package offers consumers convenience, portion control and product protection.

Judged in Printing Innovation.

Pillsbury® Easy Open Cookie Dough Chub
Curwood, Inc.

The new Pillsbury® Easy Open Cookie Dough Chub represents the first easy open chub style package in the marketplace. Prior to its introduction, the only way to access the cookie dough was to cut off the metal clips on either end or split open the top of the chub with a sharp utensil. Thanks to an innovative new opening system from Curwood, Inc., the package can now be opened by simply pulling apart the lap seals. The result is a cost-effective, consumer friendly chub package with eye-appealing graphics.

Judged in Packaging Excellence and Technical Innovation.

Pillsbury® Perfect Portions™ Refrigerated Biscuits Place-And-Bake Package w/ Curwood’s EZ Peel® Film
Curwood, Inc.

General Mills, Inc. takes refrigerated biscuits out of a spiral-wound canister and into a convenient, place-and-bake form with new Pillsbury Ò Perfect Portions™ packaging. Developed to serve the growing number of two-person households, Perfect Portions™ packaging includes ten biscuits packaged in two-biscuit pouches. The biscuits stay tightly sealed in their own high barrier pouches until used. To access the product, the consumer simply pulls apart the top layer of the film. The film contains Curwood’s patented EZ Peel® opening feature, which makes it virtually effortless to open the pouch.

Judged in Packaging Excellence and Technical Innovation.

Pillsbury® Ready to Bake Big Deluxe Classics
Printpack Inc.

This package was produced using digital photopolymer plates in combination with special hybrid screening, which results in sharper defintion and smoother transitions. The enchantment of the original movie artwork was achieved through soft glowing light and falling snow effects, which had to be maintained through the print run. These technology enhancements not only reproduced the original illustration with fidelity but also contributed to the cookie's appetite appeal.

Judged in Printing Innovation.

Pliant Microwaveable Films
Pliant Corporation™

Pliant’s microwaveable films provide a new solution for microwaveable steam cooking packages to pack frozen and refrigerated foods, which give the consumers an easy way to prepare foods. The films can withstand the subzero temperature required for frozen foods products, and can also withstand extremely high temperatures required in microwave cooking. The seal layer of the film provides an excellent seal strength to withstand high temperature and steam pressure in microwave cooking. Bags made from Pliant microwaveable films will change the way consumers cook frozen and refrigerated foods in the microwave. It saves time, energy and money. It produces less waste and saves on clean-up.

Judged in Technical Innovation.

"Ponle un Chorro de Sabor..." McCormick® Mayonesa y Aderezo
Printpack Inc.

This package brings an exciting new flexible format to liquid bulk condiments and dressings for the retail outlet shelf throughout Mexico. Previously, retail bulk liquid condiments and dressings were dominated by less consumer friendly glass jars and plastic bottles. In contrast, the "Ponle un Chorro de Sabor" pouch easily provides serving portion control and ensures that the customer will get every last drop of the dressing product from the package. The large surface panel and high impact graphics incorporated in the package design further enhance brand identity over conventional packaging presentations. While the package provides exceptional barrier protection and clean organoleptics, it also provides improved drop impact performance, ensuring minimal breakage and minimal "no sales" for the retail outlet. The innovative package design permits consumers of all ages to easily apply condiments to their favorite foods and recipes, and to reclose the pack for return to any shelf in the refrigerator. When the last drop of dressing or condiment is consumed, the flattened pack disposal requires far less space than traditional containers.

Judged in Packaging Excellence.

President's Choice Blueberry Cheesecake Crunch
Sonoco Products Company

Loblaws’ Blueberry Cheesecake Crunch, is a premium cookie that deserves a premium package. Loblaws knew they couldn't package these premium cookies in the same old cookie bag; They needed high quality graphic packaging to convey the premium brand. That's why they chose Sonoco Flexible Packaging. With their joint relationship with Keating Gravure it was a win-win situation.

Judged in Printing Innovation.

President's Choice Coffee
Genpak LP

When Loblaws Brands Limited approached us with the featured design, which was at the time, printed on cans, we knew jointly that we would be able to deliver the kind of impact packaging that would jump off store shelevs. Our goal was to keep everyone happy, and we have accomplished that. The designers are enthused with the superior packaging; the purchaser is satisfied with the minimum costs in the product launch, due to running all items side by side; and the printing manager is delighted that greater output is achieved while producing less waste. It truly is a WIN-WIN situation and a major advancement in flexible packaging.

Judged in Printing Innovation.

Progresso Crispy Bread Crumbs, Hot & Spicy and Italian Style
Printpack Inc.

These packages were printed with digital photopolymer plates and surface printed on paper. Six colors were used, plus a lacquer. They display tight registration using multiple colors across the entire package. Gradations, screens and manufactured colors in the illustration on the face panel are printing clean and sharp. The images have good contrast, shape and highlights considering the flexographic process on a paper substrate. The graphics are appetizing on the shelf and offer an alternative to the paper canister.

Judged in Printing Innovation.

PropaPeel®F for the Dial Renuzit® Scented Oil Airlets™
Rollprint Packaging Products, Inc.

The Dial Corporation's new product launch for Renuzit® Scented Oil Airlets™ was aided by the use of Rollprint's PropaPeel®F high-performance flexible composite. Airlets is a refillable, discreet plug in device for use as a home air freshener. The injection-molded polypropylene refill cartridges are filled with highly scented oils that require the use of a high barrier, chemical resistant, peelable seal strip that peels from the oil reservoir to activate the cartridge. Rollprint's PropaPeel® F is a three-layer aluminum foil composite that was selected for its ability to provide these attributes, allowing Dial to capture additional sales with a new product line extension.

Judged in Packaging Excellence and Technical Innovation.

Rosina Meatballs
New England Extrusion Inc.

In the Rosina Meatball package, NEX and Cello-Pack Corporation utilized the Controlled COF Technology 5457S sealant web to dramatically improve the overall package. This patent pending technology allows the new laminated structure to resist slip scalping and transfer, ensuring COF consistency. Processability and efficiencies on the packaging equipment were improved substantially. In addition, this new structure provided superior puncture resistance, as well as a dramatic reduction in leaker rates and flex cracking at cold temperatures improving shelf appeal.

Judged in Packaging Excellence and Technical Innovation.

Sara Lee Deli Single Occasions w/Curwood’s EZ Peel® Opening Feature
Curwood, Inc.

The Sara Lee Deli Single Occasions package represents a significantly different way of packaging sliced lunchmeats and cheeses. By laminating parchment paper and combining it with a flexible non-forming film, Sara Lee distinguishes their product in a whole new way on retail shelves. The product looks as if it were freshly sliced by the butcher and wrapped in butcher’s paper. It is also easy to open due to the incorporation of Curwood’s patented EZ Peel® system.

Judged in Packaging Excellence.

Sheba wrapped in printed Exopack Crystal Flexpack™ Shrink Film
Exopack, LLC

The Exopack Crystal Flexpack™ family of shrink films consists of a proprietary blend of resins used to give this product its toughness, supreme clarity, sparkling gloss and outstanding sealability. The simple fishnet print pattern on this film provides the Sheba package with "touch equity." The shrink-film invites consumers to touch the package and helps to support the brand image because the film seems to disappear as the overwrap for the multi-packed product. Consumers have the illusion that the package is held together with a fishnet.

Judged in Packaging Excellence.

Slider Zipper Multiwall Bag
Exopack, LLC

The Slider Zipper Multiwall Bag delivers convenience and safety in a visually appealing package. Difficult to open, torn bags are a nightmare of the past. Now a multiwall pet food bag can also be easily reclosed for storage. Incorporating the Slide-Rite® Advanced Closure System into a pinch style multiwall bag satisfies two, long-standing unmet needs: easy-to-open and reclosability. Safety is ensured with a dual tamper-evident system. Consumers have responded enthusiastically.

Judged in Packaging Excellence and Technical Innovation.

Snack'rs™ Snack Mix - Asian, Classic, Party & Original Flavor
Polymer Packaging Inc.

The technology of Bag Top prezippered film allowed our processor Sugar Foods, and customer Smart & Final, a way to introduce a snack food package with a reclosable feature. The Bag Top zipper is applied to a Prop/METProp lamination in a very fast time frame with very little modifications to their existing V/F/F/S equipment. The prezippered Bag Top film has answered the demand of not only the club store requirements for reclosable packaging it has also filled the consumer's demand for a large snack food package that will reclose for easy storage at home. This bag offers performance as well as convenience with the application of Bag Top zipper.

Judged in Technical Innovation.

“Star Wars” Fun Pak Promo
Cello-Foil Products Inc./ Exopack, LLC

The Kellogg's "Star Wars" Fun Pak package was produced as a way to promote the individually packaged, single serving cereal boxes by tying it to the popular "Star Wars" movies. Combining the ink system, Bemis Clysar film, fingerprinted press curves and digital flexo plates allowed Cello-Foil to match the intended colors and provide the eye-catching detail that Kellogg's desired, maximizing on-shelf presence.

Judged in Printing Innovation.

Sturm Foods Powdered Drink Mix Stix w/ Curwood’s Fancy Cut™ Opening
Curwood, Inc.

The Sturm Foods Drink Stix product line is a perfect addition to today’s on-the-go consumer market. Sturm Foods has helped create a whole new trend in drink mixes by placing their product in a single-serve, easy open package. In addition to a tear notch, the package contains Curwood’s proprietary Fancy Cut™ Opening feature, which is located in the lap seal of the package. This makes the product both easy to access and easy to dispense.

Judged in Packaging Excellence and Technical Innovation.

Sunkist Almond Accents
Alcan Packaging

This package was converted to rotogravure from flexography and the results are dramatic. The almonds and salad jump out at you. High quality inks with low GC levels were used to achieve this look. Internal bond levels are very high using these inks, and no curing is required. Hard work was put in initially to ensure the process work in the salad graphic, as well as the wood grain graphic in the background, looked realistic.

Judged in Printing Innovation.

Tear Anywhere™ Film Lamination
Alcan Packaging

Alcan Packaging’s Tear Anywhere™ Film is a multi-layer, co-extruded substrate, designed to perform with similar characteristics, when compared to competitive cellophane based laminations. Tear Anywhere™ is a 100% olefin based film. Tear Anywhere™ tear properties, and barrier characteristics stem from the type of extrusion process, and the proprietary resin technology, used in production. Tear Anywhere™ can be used as a primary laminating substrate, a stand-alone barrier film, and is capable of being heat sealed to itself, and other ethylene based films. Tear Anywhere™ can also be vacuum coated with metal ions to produce an enhanced film with excellent moisture and oxygen barrier properties.

Judged in Technical Innovation.

The Cement Solution
Exopack LLC

The Cement Solution™ provides an answer to the question, ‘how can I mix up cement for this small to medium size project without making a complete mess of my job site?’ Our motto is, "No bucket - no tools - no mess." The Cement Solution™ is the reusable mixing solution system for those jobs that require concrete, cement or grout. The Cement Solution™ is easy to use and it will save you both time and money. Just follow the six easy steps printed on the front of our bag and you will have ready to use cement mix in less than a minute without the mess and clean up.

Judged in Technical Innovation.

Trident Value Pack, 18 Ct.
Sonoco Products Company

When Cadbury Adams wanted to change their 18-count value pack, they didn't want just a graphic change to differentiate themselves in the marketplace; they wanted a new package. Cadbury Adams joined forces with Sonoco Flexible Packaging to create a new laser score package allowing consumers to open and reclose their gum package without losing the integrity of the package. Sonoco laser scores certain layers of the package to create the new opening feature, leaving the remainder of the package intact. Consumer response has been outstanding.

Judged in Packaging Excellence and Technical Innovation.

Unilever's Side Dishes - High Moisture Barrier Alternate to Foil
American Packaging Corporation

This specification is a cost effective alternate lamination for typical light gauge foil based specifications. The conversion to Metalized OPP film as the moisture barrier component provides comparable MVTR to light gauge foil while improving specification performance and integrity through the product packaging and distribution process because of the increased puncture resistance the specification provides. The aesthetics of the finished package are improved by eliminating the shop worn look normally associated with foil based laminations, which strongly enhances retail shelf space presence and consumer package appeal.

Judged in Technical Innovation.

VFFS Stand-Up Pouch C&W Fruit & Yogurt Smoothie Maker
Polymer Packaging Inc.

This new package has improved the presence of this product in the retail market. The customer is able to offer a stand-up pouch without the expense of
pre-made pouches. The team worked very closely with the co-packer to develop a premade pouch with a plowed in bottom gusset that ran on a V/F/F/S. The end result is a package that reflects technical innovation and have made it a true success in the market.

Judged in Technical Innovation.

Vibe™ Tan Maximizer Shaped and Spouted Pouch
Exopack, LLC

By providing a pouch with a resealable fitment, this fluid product is packaged for convenience. The shape of the pouch gives it a significantly wider label face compared to the previous rigid bottle, making it stand-out on the retail shelf. The metallic lamination, with its outstanding rotogravure printed graphics, enhances the rich image of the tan maximizer product while adding additional protection to the product. Consistant use of the angular shape with minor changes in graphics, supports the brand recognition of the Vibe™ brand and significant differentiation on the retail shelf.

Judged in Packaging Excellence.

Wasatch IceWater Spouted Shaped Pouch
Exopack, LLC

This spouted and shaped pouch with its spigot inspired cap design, is one of the first of its kind in North America. As opposed to using the standard rigid bottle for water, this pouch was designed to be both functional and environmentally friendly. Sixteen fluid ounces of water can be carried to a consumers destination with very little package left to dispose of once the water is consumed.

Judged in Packaging Excellence.

‘Wernli Petit Flirt’ Flow Pack
Amcor Flexibles

This package has a transparent high barrier flow pack for premium quality biscuits, patented by Wernli AG for biscuits and confectionery. The package incorporates an innovative new easy opening system providing a large opening window by means of a pattern weakening laser score line, allowing consumer friendly access to the gas tight packed content in combination with excellent product and brand presentation. Probably the very first commercial flow pack on the shelves having a very large window opening, the round shaped rectangular lid of 100 x 145 mm, can be torn away in one piece due to the specific shape of the contour laser score. The packed biscuits are nicely displayed and can easily be taken out from the re-closable box. This innovation offers unique opening convenience in combination with product protection and brand presentation and the basic concept (flow pack with opening window) can be applied in various market sectors (food & non food), packaging styles and laminate constructions.

Judged in Packaging Excellence and Technical Innovation.