Highest Achievement Award in the
Packaging Excellence Category
The Kettle-Rich Soup Pouch, developed by United Signature Foods, LLC and manufactured by Alcan-Lawson Mardon, North America, uniquely introduces the concept of high quality refrigerated soups – new on the grocery front – to consumers wishing to combine healthy eating, better taste and ready-to-serve convenience. The resealable stand-up soup pouch, an option to canned soup, offers a high quality, fresh tasting product that can pour freely into a microwave safe container or saucepan.
 
The pouch’s film offers a proprietary barrier to maintain freshness, allows consumers to freeze the product to extend product life and utilizes the 8-color flexo process printing to deliver enhanced graphics that duplicate the look of the fresh soup that can be seen through the windows in front and back. This package takes an industry standard (the stand up pouch) and moves it into a new consumer market while combining convenience, freshness and environmental advantages.

Highest Achievement Award in the
Packaging Excellence Category
The HD Series packaging material, developed by Cadillac Products Packaging Company, replaces existing rigid packaging and preservation components in a wide array of “heavy duty” or industrial applications. The flexible nature of this high strength, high barrier packaging material allows it to be used in applications that would be difficult or impossible to preserve satisfactorily using conventional preservation methods. Currently in use for US military aircraft preservation and in the welding industry, this series provides substantial cost savings as well as a source reduction option for users.

Rollprint Packaging Products, Inc.
For the FlexForm™ F for the Triage® Cardiac System

Gold Award
In the Packaging Excellence Category
The FlexForm™ F for the Triage® Cardiac System, developed by Rollprint Packaging Products, Inc., is a formable foil packaging bottom web which is coupled with a high barrier peelable top web. Biosite’s Triage® Cardiac System is a hand-held, point of care diagnostic cardiac marker test capable of diagnosing an acute myocardial infarction (heart attack) through compounds in the blood in about 15 minutes. The FlexForm™ F package replaces a pre-made three-side-sealed pouch which the customer had to fill manually and then seal. With the FlexForm™ F, the customer has realized a significant cost savings through the use of form/fill/seal equipment and package size reduction. The type of foil, coupled with the package seal integrity, offer greater moisture and oxygen barrier properties for the chemical reagents used in the diagnostic test kits. To ensure accessibility, Rollprint used sealant materials that yield strong yet consistently peelable seals – an important feature when every second counts. This application demonstrates how flexible can now be used to create a compartmentalized package that is contoured to the product.

Pactech, a Division of H.A.L. Baggin, Inc.
For the Medi CRREO

Gold Award
in the Packaging Excellence Category
Medi CRREO, developed by Pactech, a Division of H.A.L. Baggin, Inc. stands for Child Resistant Recloseable Easy-Open. A unique solution to a new Federal requirement that all clinical drugs be packaged in a child-resistant container as of November 23, 2000, the Medi CRREO allows all pharmaceutical companies, pharmacists, and clinical trial companies to meet the law with a child resistant recloseable flexible pouch. It is the only package that has passed the Child Protocol/Senior Friendly Testing required by the US Consumer Products Safety Commission (CPSC). The clear, reusable pouch lets pharmaceutical manufacturers use blister cards, ensuring dosage accuracy and allowing the consumer to view the contents without having to open it. The pouch can also be printed with detailed content information and FDA labeling requirements. Environmentally, the pouch is noteworthy, using approximately 70% less landfill space than the traditional rigid container.

Pechiney Plastic Packaging, Inc.
For the Deli Deluxe Over Wrap

Gold Award in the Packaging Excellence Category
The Deli Deluxe Over Wrap, developed for Kraft Foods, Inc., by Pechiney Plastic Packaging, Inc. was designed for a 16 oz, 24-slice form. A unique laser scored easy opening feature opens cleanly and efficiently, exposing the recloseable zipper. The package employs a true hermetic seal for superior protection of the cheese, replacing the prior cold seal. In addition, roto printing combined with striped metallization for enhanced graphics communicate the “Deluxe” nature of the product.

Nordenia U.S.A. for the
Tyson Cornish Hens Stand Up Pouch

Gold Award
In the Printing Achievement Category
The Tyson Cornish Hens stand up pouch, developed by Nordenia U.S.A., Inc. employed rotogravure printing to enhance the detailed, graphic quality of the entire design and to ensure its quality reproduction on future runs. Lamination of the printed substrate to a metallized substrate further enhances the superior appearance of the package. The beautiful graphics, in conjunction with the stand up feature, provide a clear marketing advantage over the traditional packaging that is typically found in this market segment. Moreover, the press-to-close zipper and metallized PET allow the consumer to reclose the pouch and store the product in the freezer for an extended period of time.

Printpack, Inc.
For the Heinz Frozen Foods Ore-Ida Stand Up Bag

Silver Award
In the Packaging Excellence Category
The Heinz Frozen Foods Ore-Ida stand up bag, developed by Printpack Inc., is a groundbreaking innovation in a frozen French fry market that has used the same white polyethylene bag for decades. The freezer case is now alive with the billboard effect of splashy, glossy, bright red and yellow Ore-Ida stand up bags. The package commands attention and promotes better brand recall than the previous industry standard. Additionally, the flood of red used in the graphic design is a nice tie-in with Heinz’ main product line, ketchup. The incorporation of a zipper closure – previously unused in the French fry category - increases consumer convenience, eliminating the need for clips or twist ties. The value-added Ore-Ida stand up bag opens the door to other end users in the frozen food category including frozen vegetables, frozen entrees, and frozen fruit.

Smurfit-Stone Container Corporation, Flexible Packaging
For the Spill Doctor Stand Up Zipper Pouch

Silver Award
In the Packaging Excellence Category & Members Choice Award
Advanced Minerals Corporation, a large user of multi-wall bags for numerous industrial applications, sought Smurfit-Stone Container Corporation, Flexible Packaging for an effective packaging solution in the retail sector. The result is a stand up zipper pouch that represents a first for an absorbency product, which is typically packaged in large plastic jugs or multi-wall bags. Nationally distributed in auto stores, hardware stores, and home improvement centers, the resealable Spill Doctor pouches come in 3 different sizes and represent a source reduction in packaging materials over the wide mouth plastic jug. The billboard effect produced by the Spill Doctor pouches renders the competition almost invisible.

North State Flexibles LLC
For the 3M Post-it® Flags Header Bag

Silver Award
In the Packaging Excellence Category
The indispensable Post-it® Flags from 3M received a clever packaging boost from North State Flexibles, LLC. The snappy and colorful new plastic header bag replaced previous packages that consisted of either an unprinted bag that was glued to a printed paperboard card and blister. Complete with customized hang hole, the laminated, polypropylene header bag offers ink protection and excellent clarity, showcasing the Post-it® Flags more effectively. Additionally, 3M is now able to print process photographs and vignettes on both the front and back of the bag, increasing its communication and brand identity.

American Packaging Corporation
For the Ready Pac® European-style Milano Salad Package

Silver Award
In the Packaging Excellence Category
The new Ready Pac European-style Milano Salad package, developed by American Packaging Corp., helped the manufacturer broaden distribution while simultaneously maximizing consumer appeal. The new film increased the shelf life of the fresh-cut salad by a dramatic 17% over the original package, allowing distribution to new markets including the Pacific Northwest, Canada, and the Midwest. In view of the fact that consumers of fresh-cut salad cite the ability to see the freshness of the product as the number one purchase criterion, Ready Pac developed graphics with a large open window to view the product’s freshness.

Ampersand Label Inc.
For the Extended Text Easy Tab Label

Silver Award
In the Printing Achievement Category
Ampersand Label Inc. has developed a patent pending, multi-layer, pressure-sensitive label design that can be printed in a single pass through a 12-color rotary flexographic label press. The 2-sheet book style label incorporates a reinforced pull-tab for easy access to information. The easy-lift, easy-reseal mechanism allows multiple viewings of graphics and text at the retail level without damaging the label. In many cases Easy Tab eliminates the need for non-flexible additional packaging that is sometimes used to accommodate large amounts of text and graphics. By condensing information into a small area, Easy Tab communicates important promotional, instructional, regulatory, warning and multi-language information to consumers prior to purchase.

Amgraph Packaging, Inc.
For the EDO Count Goods Strawberry-Kiwi and Razzleberry Candy Bar Wraps

Silver Award
In the Environmental Achievement Category
Amgraph Packaging, Inc. incorporated environmentally friendly technology to obtain eye-popping results in the EDO Strawberry-Kiwi and Razzleberry Candy packages. The colorful packages were surface printed with water based Electron Beam curable inks as well as an Electron Beam ultra gloss lacquer developed specifically for these packages. EDO, a soft, pliable candy, needed a high barrier metallized film to prevent the candy from drying out. On the other hand, the graphic elements of the package required a bright white opaque film for best results. The combination of films, in conjunction with the high quality printing, created packages that are both aesthetically pleasing and functional for the consumer.

Amgraph Packaging, Inc.
For the Coffee Masters Bella Crema Cappuccino

Silver Award
In the Printing Achievement Category
Amgraph Packaging, Inc. again put Electron Beam technology to the test in the Bella Crema Cappuccino package to achieve beautiful printing results. The unique package was surface printed with water based Electron Beam curable inks as well as an Electron Beam ultra gloss lacquer developed specifically for this package to duplicate the gloss of a film surface. Both the EB inks and top lacquer offer superior scuff resistance and deliver excellent gloss.

RJR Packaging
For the Universal Coex Lidding

Silver Award
In the Technical Innovation Category
RJR Packaging’s Universal Coex Lidding is a unique entry into the retail and institutional lidding market. Historically, this market has used heavy foil with a solvent based heat seal coating which often was unable to meet the market needs for product protection, shelf-life and high speed filling. To address these issues, RJR developed a proprietary sealant blend for use in their coextrusion coating process. The blend produces peelable, hermetic seals on polypropylene, polystyrene, HDPE, PVC, and PET containers that are less prone to puncture, crack, or leak after distribution. Additionally, the use of solvents were completely eliminated in the manufacturing process.

Phoenix Packaging for the
MSO/Baguette Flexible Wrapper

Silver Award
In the Technical Innovation Category
The MSO/Baguette Flexible Wrapper developed by Phoenix Packaging takes consumer convenience to a new level. Now, consumers can enjoy hot, crusty baguettes in their home without even having to open the package before placing it in the microwave oven. The application of a heat seal coating to the inside of the package automatically vents the package after heat and steam build pressure during the cooking cycle. The release of moisture as the product heats enhances the bread’s crispiness. What’s more, by demetallizing the finseal, browning of the paper and subsequent overcooking of the product has been eliminated.