Innovation and the environment

A new pillow-shaped hotmelt is the latest form of adhesive from Beardow Adams (stand 584). An addition to the company’s EcoBlock range of easy to handle film wrapped hotmelts, it has been specifically developed for end-of-line labellers. The advantage of the EcoBlock format is that it can be put straight into a hotmelt tank, the thin outer film melting with the adhesive.

‘Glass is the natural choice for anyone serious about packaging that is environmentally friendly,’ states Beatson Clark (stand 512). ‘As one of the only materials that is infinitely recyclable, it can be used repeatedly without degenerating, which is important when we are all facing the risks of man-made climate change’.

Working with Foundation ‘t Konings Loo, The Box (stand 661) developed a tin that represents the main building of the Het Loo palace, in The Netherlands. The tin is suitable as a gift and for the packing of tea or biscuits.

Burgopak (stand 653) and design agency GR/DD have created a novel pop-up package for a promotional version of Sony’s new EyePet reality PS3 game. Resembling a house-shaped pet carrier, it features a pop-up mechanism where the EyePet character jumps up as the carrier opens from a hinged ‘roof’. The package expands entirely, presenting the contents – the game’s software, literature and hardware – ‘in an enjoyable and organised manner’.

Burgopak’s structural design team developed a simple linkage and friction lock that allows the internal surfaces to move through 90 degrees and lock to form a flat table where the contents are securely held.

On stand 541, Croxons will focus on its lightweight bottle ranges and its new luxury packaging division. The new lightweight bottles include a next generation beer container with 20% weight saving, while retaining properties for pasteurisation and bottle conditioning. Another product is aimed at the market for an alternative taller and slender beer bottle at just under 300g.

Billed as ‘a breakthrough product for shrink sleeve design’, Studio Toolkit for Shrink Sleeves by EskoArtwork (stand 585) is said to allow fast, accurate 3D preparation of shrink sleeves for round and asymmetrical shapes as well as multipacks. The application will be released as a component of Studio in the second quarter of 2010.

“Our customers have been able to prepare shrink sleeve designs for production using our ArtPro and PackEdge advanced warping tools,” says Kris Van Bael, EskoArtwork product manager 3D and visualisation. “These were designed for symmetrical shapes and allow designers and converters to deal with the shrink sleeve pre-distortion. However, design with asymmetrical shapes and multipacks is growing increasingly popular. We have developed a module that takes the guesswork out of design and pre-production of sleeves.”

With its partners, H&O Plastics (stand 608) has developed the BatteryBack battery cap in response to the EU directive dictating that retail outlets selling more than 32kg of batteries/year should set up a battery collection point to prevent the disposal of spent batteries in incinerators or landfills.

The technical challenge was to develop a functional moulded cap for a range of containers that would be practical in use and look like a battery top. H&O met this brief by developing a range of UN certified containers fitted with a lid gasket and a secure metal locking band, to give customers the confidence that their products will arrive intact.

On stand 361, Innovia Films will add a new grade to its NatureFlex range of biodegradable and compostable cellulose based packaging films. This is a high barrier metallised film suitable for applications such as dried foods. It is also said to be ideal for lamination to other biofilms and can be used for a variety of pack formats – VFFS, flow-wrap, pouches, twistwrap and overwrap.

M&H Plastics (stand 565) has added the Character bottle to its standard range of products. This easy-grip 250ml bottle is manufactured in HDPE and takes a 23mm snap-on flip-top closure. Its distinctive shape is said to be ideal for children’s toiletries, providing an outstanding point of difference on shelf.

The company will also feature the range of 100% recycled bottles and jars it created for British eco beauty range Evolve Beauty. All containers in the range have been made from lightweight recycled plastics and are locally manufactured and filled in the UK to minimise their carbon footprint. ‘The sleek modern look shows that recycled packaging can look beautiful, with no compromise on design,’ says M&H.

Neville and More (stand 668a) has launched a new spray pump to facilitate 360 degree spraying. The company says it enables the consumer ‘to spray products in all those places which until now have been difficult to get to’. Considered ideal for personal care products, it can also be used for garden, automotive and domestic cleaning products.

On stand 358, Pakready will demonstrate its latest solution for the production of short run boxes, speciality packaging and POS collateral. The Pakready system produces life-like simulations of packaging and POS items ‘in a fraction of the time normally taken, saving valuable time and materials in the process’, the company claims. With all images and graphics in position, prototypes can be created in vibrant full colour to the final size for design reviews and marketing trials.

The versatility of Pendragon Presentational Packaging’s manufacturing capabilities in the UK and Far East are demonstrated on stand 556 by the Harrods box with lights that illuminate as it’s opened. Music and pop-up are also part of the portfolio. At around 750 x 650mm, the Duc d’O large, rigid chocolate box by Pendragon is thought to be the largest of its kind retailed in the UK. It is handmade at the site in Malvern, along with high quality Fabergé jewellery boxes covered in fabric.

Last year, the Netherlands based Plasticum Group launched standard closures with its patented MaxiDose dispensing technology. ‘Excellent’ market response has encouraged Plasticum to extend this valve closure range with a new 40mm diameter, suitable for food applications such as sauces and dressings. It offers a fully controlled and clean dispense, with no drips, mess or clogging.

Suitable for food and personal care applications, the MaxiDose features a self-closing silicon valve. When the bottle is squeezed, the valve opens gradually; as soon as the pressure is released, the orifice is closed off immediately.

Plasticum is also marketing a new standard flip-top closure with the MaxiDose technology and a 48mm diameter. It is suitable for food applications, and when the bottles are stored top-down.

On stand 310, broker of PE film and bags Polythene UK, is offering free compostable Polycomp bags to visitors, to persuade people to switch to a ‘greener’ option.

Useful as general carrier bags, garden and kitchen waste bags, they will biodegrade ‘in just over a week’, says the company. Visitors can view a video filmed over 10 days showing the whole lifecycle process happening in just two minutes.

Portola Europe (stand 684) has developed its new Easy Flip 2-piece sports closure using lightweighting technologies. The design has a visual tamper evidence that remains on the dust cover (no throw-away bands); it is said to be easy to open and closes with an audible snap. An integral double hinge allows the consumer to hold the dust cover at 180 degrees for ease of consumption.

There is a long spout for drinking comfort, with the same high flow rate as Portola’s other 3-piece sports closures. Lightweighting has reduced the weight of the Easy Flip by 28% of polymer compared with a standard 3-piece sports closure. It is currently available for 28mm PCO1810, with 38 and 30mm finishes being developed in tandem.

RCP Ranstadt (stand 601) and Ritter Labels have jointly produced a new packaging concept – the Sachet-Label, offering an easy way to promote products with advantages for both brand owner and consumer.

The Sachet-Label can be affixed to the primary pack ‘with little effort’ by a standard labelling machine. It allows consumers to test skincare products and is an opportunity to cross-promote brands. In addition, a ‘well known crisps manufacturer’ has attached supplementary flavourings to the outer pack, for consumers to personalise the taste. The sachet is adhered to a base label and both can be printed to offer extra space for text.

Visitors to stand 305 will see 100% biodegradable plant tags displayed by Sessions of York. The Bio Tag can be overprinted then pushed into the soil as a conventional plant tag.

When the plant has grown, the biodegradable pot can be sent with the tag to composting, where it will biodegrade in just 45 days in commercial composting environment. Reel-fed, the label can be overprinted through a thermal transfer printer.

Sessions will also exhibit its latest development in space saving labels. The Barn-door offers three sides of print on larger format labels designed to be opened and closed with ease. The new booklet label range offers up to 32 pages of text and can be machine applied directly to the primary pack, making an outer carton redundant.

Staeger Clear Packaging, on stand 508, says its recently launched rPET, recycled PET cartons are finding wide acceptance amongst leading retailers and FMCG producers. The ‘Packaging Company of the Year’ in the UK Packaging Awards 2009 will be exhibiting new drums, tubes, conical and cylindrical containers, in a variety of materials.

Exhibiting on stand 717, Toly Products has a new, patented design for portable liquid foundation. The Crème Luxe is a novel makeup delivery system that integrates the benefits of a powder compact with the convenience and appeal of a liquid foundation. A versatile concept, it can be designed in many shapes.

Toly introduces an opening system that uses magnets integrated into a pushbutton feature. With simple magnetic principles, the compact opens by pressing the button and having like poles repel, while closing has unlike poles attracting each other. The strength of the magnet enables the lid to pop up, and it is said to be very simple to integrate into both the design and manufacturing process.

Also being featured by Toly, Dual Airless is a ‘low cost’ twin airless pack which mixes the product at the point of use.

Veriplast Solutions (stand 705) says it is ‘working continuously on innovative products and materials that will result in minimal damage to the environment, both in production and use’. The company will soon be taking a new step in its Naturewise approach: ‘the transfer of our current series of PET glasses to rPET (recycled PET), which will contribute significantly to a further reduction in CO₂ emissions’.

The glasses will be manufactured from a minimum of 35% post-consumer PET, supplemented by post-industrial recycled PET. Extensive testing is said to have proven that the change has no influence on the performance and physical or visual properties of the products. RPET is a 100% safe and food approved alternative.