L to R, Back Row: The Ernie Pouch, Keebler; Cryovac K-9 Pet Food Bag, Cryovac; Dental Airbox, Air Packaging Technologies; RhinoTuff Fuel Check Sleeve, North State Flexibles, LLC; Photomask Airbox, Air Packaging Technologies; Cryovac K-9 Pet Food Bag, Cryovac L to R, Front Row: Slik-Pak, Keystone Business Services; Recyclable Ream Wrap, Xerox Corp. & Lawson Mardon; Wave Wrap Microwave Crisping Sleeve, Phoenix Packaging
Cryovac K-9000 Pet Food Bag manufactured by the Cryovac Division, Sealed Air Corporation, Duncan, SC - Most pet food manufacturers have focused on improving the food, but packaging has not advanced at the same pace. In fact, dry pet food packaging materials have not radically changed in many years. This new package delivers a new, differentiated and value-added solution for the dry pet food industry. It has proven in consumer focus groups to be overwhelmingly preferred for superior appearance, better freshness, improved toughness, improved handling characteristics, better stability and superior opening/re-closing features. In rigorous scientific testing, the K-9000 package extends pet food shelf life, improves freshness, improves palatability (taste), and reduces insect infestation concerns. Finally, this package is better for distribution and retail because of its superior toughness that reduces package damage, and its brilliant appearance that grabs customer attention at the point-of-sale.
Dental Airbox, Air Packaging Technologies, Valencia, CA - The Dental Airbox is a flexible, multi-pocketed inflated bag lifting and surrounding the dental impressions and restorations with a cushion of air during transportation and handling between the dentist and laboratory via air courier. The Airbox dispenses with the use of corrugated boxes reducing the amount of waste going to landfill by 95% with one use, and 98% with multiple uses. Microdental will also enjoy substantial cost savings in packaging, handling and shipping.
The Ernie Pouch, Pechiney Plastic Packaging, Chicago, IL - The Ernie Pouch is a stand-up pouch with a recloseable zipper, which is easy to open and close. The pouch is reverse printed and contains a material structure which provides the necessary barrier to meet the product's shelf life requirements. The 3-dimensional, die-cut package offers a billboard type display, which can be reused as a hand puppet once the product has been consumed. The unique packaging solution capitalizes on the investment Keebler has made in the development of the Ernie character and the Elves. The pouch moves an established brand into a new growth cycle by re-energizing the brand and creating a new awareness with consumers. The pouch also exposes the child market segment to the Ernie character and the Elves. The hand puppet stand up pouch creates an identity for Ernie among the child market segment and continues the Ernie brand equity.
Photomask Airbox, Valencia, CA - The SDS Air Box is a flexible, anti-static/static-shielding inflated bag lifting and surrounding the photomask with a cushion of air during transportation, handling and storage. The SDS Airbox is designed to ship 5" and 6" photomasks providing maximum protection against shock and vibration while utilizing the lowest profile possible saving the customer's packaging, storage, and freight costs. The SDS Airbox, when heat-sealed at the open end, also provides a contaminant-free and static-shielded chamber, eliminating contamination of the pellicle.
RhinoTuff Fuel Check Sleeve, North State Flexibles, Greensboro, NC - A 50 micron or 2.0 mil PVC, heat shrinkable sleeve was created to cover propane gas cylinders. It incorporates an innovative "Fuel Check" system that allows the consumer to easily monitor the amount of fuel left in their exchanged Blue Rhino Propane Gas cylinders through the use of flexographically applied inks with gravure applied thermochromatic inks. The protective sleeve also keeps the cylinders clean and rust-free, thereby extending cylinder life and reinforcing the high quality graphics utilized to promote pride of use. The RhinoTuff Fuel Check Sleeve is easy to apply, remove and replace - a definite benefit to Blue Rhino approved distributors.
Slik-Pak, Keystone Business Service Inc., Ogden, UT - The Slik-Pak is a single-use pouch of lubricant for tractor-trailers. To use the package, a trucker places the pouch on the fifth wheel and drops the trailer onto the plate. The weight ruptures the pouch, spreading the lubricant over the surface. The plastic pouch disintegrates as the plates rotate on each other, leaving no waste to dispose of in a landfill. The pouch replaces 55-gallon drums of grease, and also gives truckers the advantage of lubricating vehicles in remote locations where a drum of lubricant is simply too large. The Slik-Pak reduces product waste, uses an environmentally sound delivery system, and simplifies product delivery. The packaging is a part of the product as it disintegrates and contributes to the lubrication properties. It is a food grade polypropylene with a coextruded sealing layer and is printed with water based inks.
Wave Wrap™, Phoenix Packaging, Maple Grove, MN - This new package for frozen, microwavable sandwiches also won the coveted Green Globe Award for environmental achievement. The single flexible wrapper replaces both an OPP overwrap and a rigid paperboard susceptor sleeve with one part, thus creating a new, source reduced product. Wave Wrap™ runs extremely well on regular HFFS equipment and requires no special setup. The use of Wave Wrap™ eliminates the immediate step of placing the paperboard susceptor sleeve onto the web, which in turn eliminates potential machining issues like jams and missed placements. Wave Wrap™ not only provides product protection but interacts with the product itself in the process of cooking. Partial demetallization of the metallized PET film allows for customization of the susceptor to suit individual products. Phoenix Packaging's inline process results in a source-reduced, cost-effective and convenient packaging solution.
Recyclable Ream Wrap, Xerox Corporation, Webster, NY - Xerox has created the first commercial, cost-effective recyclable ream wrap to offer the necessary protection required by ream wrap, while enhancing the product by making it recyclable. Traditional ream wrap uses a plastic overlay between layers of paper which acts as a barrier against moisture and adds strength and durability. Unfortunately, the plastic also provides the wrapper a ticket to a landfill because it cannot be recycled. Xerox's wrapper is 100% repulpable and recyclable with corrugated waste. To provide the necessary protection, while still maintaining the recyclability of the product, Xerox used a coating technology primarily used on food packaging. This coating replaced wax-containing coatings on poultry and meat boxes with repulpable moisture-proof barrier coatings. Xerox was able to apply the coating and print the ream wrap in one step. Xerox's Recyclable Ream Wrap provides the necessary strength and moisture barriers while meeting economic targets and created the first commercial, cost-effective recyclable ream wrap.
Flexible Packaging Association - 971 Corporate Boulevard, Suite 403 - Linthicum, MD 21090 - 410.694.0800 - fpa@flexpack.org
