Retford, UK-based printer RCS and technology manufacturers Screen, Scodix and Highcon came up with a new approach to packaging at the recent North Print & Pack show.
By combining the capabilities of their digital print and finishing equipment, the manufacturers created a workflow that allowed a range of personalized carton items to be produced that are both high-impact and ideally suited to short runs.
Speaking for RCS, which has recently installed Europe’s first B2 size Screen Truepress JetSX digital line and two Scodix 1200 UV digital embossing lines, managing director Michael Todd said: ‘With runs lengths shortening we see this as a game changer because it allows us to make every piece of packaging different. We call it “Personalization Plus” and we believe it’s a world first.’
The products, which can be chosen from an extensive range on the RCS website, require the design to be input, along with the style and finish required. Proofs are then supplied and the order processed and delivered.
RCS claims the Truepress JetSX lifts digital quality and flexibility to a new level because significantly it can handle pre-scored and pre-creased boards, and working in combination with the Scodix 1200 lines is perfect for producing premium personalized items from playing cards, to calendars and packaging.
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Drying and curing specialist IST Metz will stage its sixth UV Days event on June 17-20, focusing on multi-functionality and sense perception.
The biennial, four-day event will be staged in collaboration with the company’s partners from the printing industry.
A highlight of the event, taking place at IST Metz’s headquarters in Nürtingen, near Stuttgart, will be a multi-functional folded box produced using UV sheet-fed offset printing, coupled with coating and embossing.
The folded box will be printed live on the on-site printing press of IST Metz, alongside further printing demonstrations on the topics of 3D varnishing in UV inkjet, digital label printing and LED UV technology on a flexographic printing press.
For the folded box, during the curing of inks and varnishes, energy-efficient IST Metz UV systems are used as interdeck and end-of-press dryers.
IST Metz will also stage guided tours of its facility, where visitors will be shown the production of UV lamps and power supply devices, the coating of UV reflectors, as well as the assembly of entire UV units.
Dirk Jägers, managing director of IST Metz, said: ‘At the UV Days we will of course show all the possibilities our UV curing systems offer. But we do also think outside the box and will present opportunities beside printing and finishing that will make print products stand out in the future.
‘We are providing the approximately 600 expected trade visitors, who are coming from all over the world, with superb opportunities to experience great products and learn about new processes, not to mention explore new business fields and thus increase the value of services provided to their customers.’
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Ink manufacturer Ruco has launched a new opaque white product intended for use in combination printing processes.
The 900UV1437 opaque white that Ruco has added to its portfolio comes in a low-viscosity and silicone-free formulation.
It is highly reactive to permit give curing and adhesion properties, with “outstanding” flow characteristics. It is suited for overprinting with UV flexographic, offset and letterpress inks.
Available immediately, Ruco’s new 900UV1437 product has been developed especially for UV rotary screen printing combined with UV flexographic printing. Both printing processes are suitable for high printing speeds.
Due to its ability to adhere to a wide range of different substrates, including polyethylene, polypropylene, polyester and PVC, as well as paper and cardboard, Ruco said the new opaque white is universally applicable. Additionally, it is suited for over-embossing with standard hot embossing films.
Read more about inks and coatings here
The Flexographic Technical Association (FTA) has welcomed 156 new members in the past six months, 85 of which joined in the first quarter of 2013.
FTA represents more than 1,300 company locations and 50,000-plus individual professionals worldwide. Under the association’s umbrella, members works together to strengthen the competitiveness of flexography and to provide a platform for flexographers to network, learn and exchange ideas.
FTA’s members come from across the entire packaging, printing and converting supply chain. New members include: Aladdin Packaging, Ashland Performance Materials, Avery Dennison (Fasson Roll NA), Dienes Corp., Domino Amjet, Durst Image Technology US, Garlock Printing & Converting Corp. Granwell Products, Inc., Innovative Label Technology, Inc., McCracken Label Co., Packaging Corporation of America, Target Labels and Packaging, Western Shield Label Company and more.
‘We are thrilled with our growing membership base,’ said Jay Kaible, FTA director of membership and business development. ‘More and more organizations are seeing the value that an FTA membership offers in terms of networking, education and visibility.
‘FTA’s programs and events are unmatched in the industry and can be documented just by the sheer number of individuals and organizations that have participated in all that FTA has to offer.’
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MirriNor has created a sample whisky box to demonstrate the metallic effects that can be achieved with the laminated board.
MirriNor is collaboration between Mirri and the Norboard division of Smurfit Kappa Sheetfeeding. The MirriNor substrate is a silver laminated board that combines a high-quality, metallic film from Mirri with Smurfit Kappa’s T-Flute microflute corrugated board.
Read more on MirriNor here.
The combination creates a premium metallic board product offering printability, environmental credentials and the characteristics of Smurfit’s T-Flute microflute corrugated board, in terms of high strength and light weight at 435gsm.
The MirriNor whisky sample box has been designed to demonstrate the key benefits of the material; strength with protection, but lightweight, sustainable and cost effective.
The whisky box artwork was converted using the Color-Logic Design Suite, and has an intricate pattern in the background that was created using Color-Logics' Dimensional-FX technique. The Color-Logic system removes the need for white ink masking, as complex white ink areas are automatically generated as the designer integrates colors and effects from the Color-Logic palettes and plugins.
The box was UV litho printed by Color-logic licensed printer, Oriel, with an inline UV spot varnish. The box was also finished with an embossed effect on the side of the box to raise the MirriNor logo.
Richard Revell, technical sales manager at Smurfit Kappa, said: ‘MirriNor has been shortlisted for two awards recently for Packaging Innovation of the Year and Pack Design of the Year for a four bottle beer pack designed for the Yorkshire-based microbrewery, Woldtop.
‘The innovative nature of this ready to use material means that a piece of stunning packaging can be created with much less requirement for further processing. This means that production can be turned around very quickly and with limited waste.’
Matt Swift, sales manager at MirriNor, added: ‘MirriNor is ideally suited for the high-end drinks packaging sector, due to its decorative nature and the high strength and protection provided by the Smurfit Kappa T-Flute element, making it very suitable for carrying bottles of sprits or wine.’
Read more about substrates here
First quarter 2013 production figures for aluminum foil showed growth across all gauges for the first time since mid-2011, according to figures published by the European Aluminium Foil Association (EAFA).
Overall Q1 production grew by 3.7 percent to 209,400 tonnes, up for 201,900 tonnes in Q1 2012. Exports from European manufacturers maintained the momentum seen in the later part of 2012 with a first quarter growth of 10.3 percent.
Thinner gauges, used largely for flexible packaging and household foils, also continued steady recovery during 2012 with a 2.4 percent increase in the first three months of 2013.
Thicker gauges, used typically for semi-rigid containers and technical applications, advanced by 2.5 percent, showing growth in this sector for the first time in 18 months.
Aluminum foil uses range from flexible packaging and container applications, to automotive and heat exchange components, insulation material and industrial applications.
Optimism is evident in the food and beverage markets, which are proving very resilient during continued economic uncertainty and slower than expected recoveries in most European economies, EAFA said. Another bright spot is the strong export order books for aluminum foil which indicate the strength of the markets in the Asia-Pacific region, India and the Americas.
EAFA executive director Stefan Glimm said: ‘These are pleasing results, particularly the recovery of volumes for thicker gauges. But demand remains weak in the automotive and building sectors and, until we see an upturn in these industries, predicting future order patterns remains difficult.
‘The aluminum foil sector is highly innovative, as the recent winners of the Alufoil Trophy 2013 demonstrated. This, together with a flexible and dynamic approach to demand changes, means that the European foil rollers remain strong and well placed to meet future challenges.’
Read more on substrates here
Esko has celebrated the career of Simon James at the recent EskoWorld 2013 user conference, where the founder of the ArtiosCAD software was given a standing ovation by attendees at the conference’ opening session.
James retired from Esko earlier this year, but in 1976, while employed with Notting Ltd in England, James headed a team that designed and wrote a CAD/CAM product to design folding cartons and associated tooling. This product was chosen by the Paperboard Packaging Council as one of the major technological innovations of 1978.
As one of the founders of ArtiosCAD, Simon came to the US in 1978 as the president of Lasercomb America. In that role, he was responsible for growing both the software division and manufacturing division to a global presence, creating a company with subsidiaries in the UK, South Africa and Australia.
He was part of the team that sold Artios to Barco in 1998. After he sold his software company, James held a variety of positions with Barco and, later, Esko, ranging from vice-president of sales in Europe, president of Esko North America and Esko senior vice-president for global marketing.
‘For many years Simon has been instrumental in the growth and strategic development of Esko, and the company has very much to thank him for,’ said Carsten Knudsen, Esko chief executive officer and president.
‘Also his influence in the packaging industry cannot be underestimated. We are grateful that we had the honor to work with Simon, and will miss his unique insights and warm friendship.’
Read more on Esko here
Italian press manufacturer Omet celebrated its 50th birthday over the second weekend in May, and I want to extend my congratulations to the company.
I was lucky enough to be invited to the celebrations to mark the inauguration of the company back in 1963. Although the earliest documentation that’s been found dates the company to February 1, it waited until warmer weather to invite around 200 customers, employees and members of the global media to celebrate the momentous occasion.
You’re only 50 once, so it was a good time for the company to look back over five decades of passion and innovation, and CEO Antonio Bartesaghi (pictured, top), the son of company founder Angelo, was full of passion and emotion when speaking about his father and the work the company has done to grow into a global manufacturer from a humble base in northern Italy during the 1960s.
He spoke candidly about the work put into establishing the company by his father, and the trust placed in him and his vision in the early days by financial institutions and the first customers, through to today’s workforce striving to further the company and themselves in tough economic conditions and with increased global competition.
It’s with this in mind that Bartesaghi made it clear that he sees Omet as having a strong future, both in label and packaging, and the other markets it serves, and stated his aim to celebrate the company’s 100th anniversary.
If the passion I witnessed this weekend continues over the next five decades, I too would like to be part of the celebrations in 2063.
Happy birthday Omet.
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The whole series of guilt free snacking products comes in printed packaging that belies the low-calorie intent of the foodstuffs within.
Presented in both folding cartons and flexibles, the guilt free snacking packaging uses printing and finishing to give the products a more luxurious feel, which is something not often associated with dieting, while the overall matte appearance of the packaging keeps it understated.
It's a colorful range too, but using a softer palette to differentiate between the products.
To complete the look, each pack design features a stylized hand encroaching from the right and picking up a snack with its fingertips, whether a piece of popcorn, a Rocky Road Cluster or a mini flavored focaccia slice.
In the case of frozen pizza, this helps convey a price difference of £1.90, with the 60p "M Savers" cheese and tomato pizza (pictured, right) using a minimal color palette and simple shapes to illustrate the product’s ingredients, while the £2.50 "M Kitchen Bistro" Italian woodfired parmigiana pizza box (pictured, far right) features high-quality images of the key ingredients and a slate effect across the material.
Such detail does not appear on the standard “M Kitchen” pizza packaging, although it is more complex than the "Savers" carton and helps create a perception of quality.
Hung together on a display rack, they visualize the demand for bespoke packets, pouches and cartons produced in increasingly shorter run lengths.
As you can seen, the range and style of printed packaging on show as Christmas gets closer and closer is showing no signs of abating.
As such, I’ll be continuing my “study” over the coming weeks, and if you want to contribute please post your pictures to Twitter mentioning @D_Pittman_PPW using the hashtag #xmaspackaging.
You can even share your photos via the official Package Print Worldwide Facebook page.
Alternatively, email them to me at dpittman@packprintworld.com.
See more Christmas packaging examples from this blog here
Follow @D_Pittman_PPW on Twitter for regular updates
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Comprising two units joined by a spine, the Hotel Chocolat advent calendar opens like a book, and can be displayed like a Christmas card.
As with most other advent calendars, perforated windows are numbered out of sequence to help you locate a daily treat. However, with this high-end advent calendar, the numbers are foil embossed for extra luxury.
As well as the front panel being decorated with graphics representing a more traditional image of Christmas, the Thorntons Continental advent calendar is reverse printed, with each window decorated on the reverse with a further graphic and phrase associated with the festive period (pictured, right).
My nephews have knitted ones that were crafted by hand by my sister a few years ago, with the numbers adorning pockets that are replenished with personalized treats each December 1. 
During converting, each perforated window is numbered out of sequence (pictured, above; 5, 2, 1, 4, 3, as opposed to 1, 2, 3, 4, 5) up to 24, with each number referring to a date in December up to, and including, Christmas eve.
For teens, The Simpsons and festive scenes, as pictured on Maltesers and Mars examples, are used to garner attention (pictured, below).
Young adults can choose from a selection of advent calendars with a retro theme, such as the one using the Where’s Wally? character from their childhood books, or from a variety of light-hearted, yet more sophisticated samples, as retailed in Marks and Spencer (pictured, below).
For discerning adults, advent calendars are given a more luxurious feel. For instance, the deep blue and gold used by Lindt on its advent calendars create an alluring appearance, while Thorntons has used Victoriana on its Continental advent calendar, including silhouettes of bikes, Victorian couples and other festive items (pictured, below).
The Thorntons Continental carton is triangular in shape, giving it added visual impact, and is topped off with a fabric bow attached to the front panel.
German marzipan specialist Niederegger has also extended beyond the standard rectangular shape, instead opting for a Christmas tree shape (pictured, left), a popular choice at this time of the year.
In this instance, the visual appeal is targeted at owners, with a puppy (pictured, right) and fluffy cat printed on the front panel to generate an "awww" reaction.
The traditional Kinder Surprise sweet is a chocolate egg with a toy inside, but the packaging pictured left houses both the toy and the chocolate.
Ferrero Rocher, another product from the Ferrero family, is also tieing its packaging into the gift market, although designed for the more discerning adult buyer. This includes a Christmas present carton (pictured, above right), complete with bow and ribbon, housing a selection of the chocolates, and a carton shaped like a Christmas tree and finished with stars and tinsel details. The Christmas tree carton has a further Christmas tree shape cut from the center of the front panel to showcase the treats within.
Christmas trees are a popular shape to mimic at this time of year, and Thorntons has done just that, although this time the confectionery itself is molded into a tree shape and housed in a conventional six-walled carton. The primary packaging for the hand-decorated Thorntons Continental chocolate tree is manufactured completely from plastic, without any fiber-based material, and printed with text, swirling patterns and a black border to frame the chocolate within.
The cartons themselves, in different colors to match the different chocolate trees available, are printed with snowflake shapes.
Selection boxes featuring an array of its brands, like Wispa, Twirl and Curly Wurly, are printed with more Christmas tree shapes on a snow white background with presents in the foreground.
Like Cadbury, Nestlé retails a number of its brands, like KitKat and Smarties, in a selection box decorated with festive images, although it has used the archetypal Christmas character that is Santa Claus riding his sleigh to illustrate its cartons, with images of the bars printed as if presents to be delivered.
Swizzels Matlow selection tubes have also been supersized, housing a range of its more famous confectionery brands in one carton.
His face even appears directly printed on cans, where he can be seen drinking a bottle of carbonated drink. 
And I’ve not only seen Santa’s face staring back at me from Coca-Cola packaging in the UK, as I also spotted him while on a recent trip to Germany (see right).
The Gallo/Lindt gift set, which also includes a wine glass, is housed in a conventional carton design, with a large window cut from the body and replaced with plastic to display the contents.
The Mateus/Guylian gift pack, also with a wine glass, again features a large panel cut from the front of the carton and replaced with a see-through window, while the creasing and folding of the carton allows it to taper at the top. 
The Echo Falls/Lindt carton houses a small bottle of wine and some Lindt Lindor chocolates, with windows cut from the main structure to allow the contents to be seen and fit the neck of the wine bottle. This cut-away detail differs from the others as it doesn’t involve the removal of one single piece, but rather three different sections to create a more complex design.
The flexible packaging for the treats is printed with details that give it the impression of airmail, including the traditional red and blue stripe and fake stamp, along with the word “urgent” and the date of December 22, the last posting date in 2012 for special delivery letters when sent via Royal Mail to reach their destination by Christmas.
The Apple patent, entitled “Packaging with multiple functions after opening”, includes details of how the packaging could be used as a means to support items, such iPads, iPhones and iPods, during charging, as well as act as an acoustic amplifier configured to amplify sound produced by an item when the lid is in its second configuration.
I spotted a good example of a QR code properly deployed on a recent stay in a hotel, with the foil lid on a single serving of UHT milk printed with a code that directs users to a mobile website featuring nutritional, dietary and allergy information.
In Morrisons, you can buy gingerbread and shortbread snacks retailed in cartons with die-cut features that extend outside the dimensions of the main carton. For instance, the top of Santa’s hat on the box for festive shortbread shapes, and the bobble on the robin’s hat, as used on the carton for toffee shortbread stars, over-shoot the top of the main packaging.
Morrisons is also offering Lebkuchen Stars in flexible packaging as part of its early “M Christmas” product portfolio. Lebkuchen is a traditional German Christmas treat, and the flexible packaging in red, a color closely linked with the festive period, is decorated with Christmas trees.
In M&S, a host of further products can be found, mostly in packaging colored red, including Frosty Balls; milk chocolate spheres in a crisp candy shell rolled in icing sugar.
Even sandwiches, on sale in WH Smith stores, have been given a Christmas flavor, both through the product and the packaging.
Confectionery giants Mars and Nestlé are big users of festive themes to enhance their products’ appeal as stocking fillers or smaller gifts. Maltesers share boxes have been decorated with snow-capped chocolates printed on the carton to give the packaging a wintery feel, while smaller treat boxes feature a twinkling star effect and green reindeer reminding consumers to recycle the carton. Galaxy treat boxes, another Mars Incorporated brand, also feature this decoration.
As I mentioned in an earlier blog, pets are also getting in on the Christmas spirit with the packaging for cat and dog treats and snacks given a festive makeover.
A Christmas treat kennel can be bought for those dogs that have been especially well behaved this year, with the carton packaging decorated with the image of a stocking, presents and snow.
Asda Tiger turkey flavor cat treats also feature a cat in a Santa hat, as well as baubles and a star effect. 
The yard-long carton is printed with four special Christmas slogans, including “Tastier than Brussels sprouts” and “You won’t believe your mince pies”, and retailed in display units printed with graphics showing ribbons made of orange peel and holly.
This is a question that has, and continues to, trouble the tobacco industry and those that supply and support it.
Monster Munch monsters are taking on the guise of witches, complete with hats, while the Pom-Bear bear brand mascot can be seen sporting vampire teeth on special Halloween packs. Pom-Bear multipacks also carry images of the teddy-shaped potato snacks as a witch and a ghost.
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