London’s luxurious show

This year the Luxury Packaging Conference will debut at Luxury Packaging 2014 co-located with Packaging Innovations London. Packaging Innovations will also host an array of show features including inspirational learnShops seminars, The Beauty Symposium, Lions' Lair and The BIG Packaging Debate.

Dempson (stand E63) is returning to Luxury Packaging this year with new products to promote into market sectors where it is seeking to expand its presence. Dempson is an independently owned, UK based manufacturer of high quality printed paper bags, paper carriers bags and paper wrappings for the retail sector. The markets served range from branded high street retailers to, 'food to go' retailing, to catering supplies retailers, wholesalers and food processors. Key products on show will be the Dempson Bag and the Box Bag, supported by high quality process print capabilities.

Also at the show will be luxury paper and packaging specialist James Cropper (stand E57). The company recently won the first Luxepack Shanghai In Green Award, for eco-friendly packaging innovation - for Cocoa Paper, a product which contains 10% cocoa shell content, a by-product of chocolate production. A collaboration with Barry Callebaut, manufacturer of high quality cocoa and chocolate products, Cocoa Paper substitutes virgin fibre and materials, avoids wasting the cocoa shells, to create a strong and naturally coloured fibre suitable for food packaging. James Cropper is known for its luxury packaging papers, which accompany many of the world's most exclusive brands. It also develops advanced materials based on carbon and other fibres.

On stand E33, Quadpack will show the latest trends and advances in premium packaging. It will showcase solutions for skin care, make-up and perfumery, as well as a range of packs developed for leading brands. Visitors to the stand will see Yonwoo's state-of-the-art airless innovations. Quadpack's own Q-Line range will take centre stage. Among these will be the Ellipse tottle with premium finish and the Flash Pen Coloris stick for eye and lip colour. The glass perfumery range will also be on display, as well as the latest packs developed by Technotraf Wood Packaging. These include a wood-sheathed fragrance bottle for Armand Basi's Wild Forest and a compact for Guerlain's Terracotta series.

Sappi Speciality Papers will be exhibiting on stand D6, to present its latest innovative papers and board packaging solutions. These include sustainable and recyclable packaging grades such as Algro Guard M and Leine Guard M, offering mineral oil barrier functionality to safeguard food from contamination. Also featured at the show will be the award winning Algro Design bright white cartonboard, Fusion premium white topliner for lamination to carton and corrugated board, and biodegradable packaging solutions like Algro Nature, a certified home compostable flexible packaging substrate based on renewable raw materials, as are all of the papers made by SAPPI.

Winter & Co UK will be exhibiting samples from its range of innovative covering materials which are to be found covering books, packaging, office and social stationery, and retail displays. "Innumerable colours, surfaces and structures provide limitless variety to stimulate the senses," the company boasts. Stand E49.

On stand F25, Hunter Premium Packaging will display a mixture of luxury secondary packaging including rigid boxes of all shapes and sizes and design, with and without embellishments and in plain and high spec design print using plain and metallic pantones and finishing techniques. It will also show gift with purchase bags from the health and beauty industry plus printed tins and bottle cases for the luxury drinks industry. Hunter designs "inspirational packaging that works across a variety of manufacturing techniques and materials always with a keen eye for budgetary constraints and on-brand message". It will be showcasing some of its most successful designs and innovative techniques at Packaging Innovations London.

Marber creating beautiful bespoke packaging from bags and boxes to cases and gift with purchase merchandise. At the exhibition it will be showcasing a range of previous projects from a number of well recognised brands, including ideas on different environmentally friendly material alternatives to PVC, design capabilities and concept generation on its stand GB33.

Design Plus Packaging is a full service manufacturer specialising in the development and manufacture of premium health & beauty products and medical devices. An investment totalling £1.5 million throughout 2013 and early 2014 allowed it to evolve the business, incorporating full service manufacture, as well as sachet production. As a result DPP can offer a variety of packaging fills including bottles, tottles, tubes, jars, sachets and bag-on-valve aerosols. As part of the move into full service manufacture, the laboratory team is now able to work more proactively on new product development, further aided by a completely remodelled working area which has doubled their previous space. Stand B14.

Easypack, exhibiting on stand D10, specialises in innovative, environmental paper void fill cushion packaging, providing off the shelf and bespoke solutions to a wide range of packaging operations. A three-time winner of the Queen's Award for Enterprise in International Trade, its customers range across almost every industry "and every single one has a unique packaging challenge we have solved". All paper is 100% recycled, 100% recyclable and 100% biodegradable. The company will also exhibit Packmaster and Packsolo featuring a new adjustable frame for maximum versatility.

Visitors to stand D17 will see the Innovia Films range of BOPP and cellulose films and new products. These will feature compostable NatureFlex films made from wood pulp, which can be used on their own or combined with other bio-materials to create a tailored packaging solution. New products include compostable NatureFlex 55 HK1, a hermetically sealing film. The many material partnerships established with key players in the packaging industry will also be highlighted to enhance product development and increase awareness of possibilities.

Exhibiting on stand A21 will be MMR Research, a leading research partner for food, drink, and household and personal care companies. Its Impackt Lite offer has been devised to provide companies with "a limited but scientifically robust, quantitative and accurate method for assessing likely success of new or revised packs". Complementary to MMR's existing suite of consumer insight tools, it is hoped that this will increase the use of research in the packaging innovation process. "We hope that the availability of Impackt Lite will lead to a rapid increase in early stage packaging research and help keep pack change projects on track, reduce lead times and most importantly, will help companies use the voice of the consumer to make better decisions," says Mat Lintern, global MD of MMR.

New Vision Packaging recently created a range of cartons as part of the new Boots premium haircare launch of the Salon Science range and will show them on its stand (VG15). The constructions are said to be simple but effective, protecting and presenting the products perfectly on-shelf. As the cartons were to have a primarily white background, a solid bleached sulphate board was chosen to create a perfect stand-out for the photographic images. Each carton has a photographic image printed on the front face to represent the plant extracts used within the products, plus a special colour to highlight these key product ingredients. These design elements are then given further prominence with the use of a spot hi-gloss varnish. Inside the boxes, the same colour is used to continue the premium and luxury feel when opened. Finally, to create a totally luxurious feel, soft touch UV varnish is applied to give a gentle, tactile feel to the boxes.

Procos is one of Europe's leading suppliers of luxury bags and boxes and other auxiliary packaging items. Its stand (GB47) will be decorated with a display of top quality packaging that the company has produced in Europe and Asia for a wide range of clients.
The company will also be showcasing the new Luxury Carrier Box, an environmentally friendly packaging solution that reduces material consumption, waste and cost. The luxury Carrier Box combines the sturdy, protective qualities of a box and the practicality and fashion statement of a branded shopping bag. The entire structure is collapsible, which allows for easier shipping and requires far less storage space than regular boxes.

First time exhibitor Seram (stand B5) is presenting packaging for food, beverage and cosmetics. As designers develop new collections, Seram creates and manufactures decoration and personalisation accessories. It is an expert in differentiation for the perfumes, cosmetics and food & beverage markets, supplying bows, elastic loops for boxes, flowers, and adhesive labels.

A "revolutionary" new foam dispenser for the cosmetics, toiletries and personal care markets is being introduced by Vetroplas (stand A3) and its Dutch manufacturing partner Albea. The patented EZ'R enables consumers to dispense a constant, high quality stream of foam through a flip-top cap, when squeezing the bottle upside down with just one hand - "a feature which is completely unique". The dispenser is suitable for applications such as facial care, cosmetics, baby care, self-tan, shampoos and shower gels, and sun care. The new technology also has strong green credentials. The method by which foam is dispensed reduces water consumption by up to 22% compared with liquid soap products. EZ'R also needs up to 65% less formula per body wash usage, allowing a packaging size reduction of around 50%.

www.easyFairs.com/PI-LONDON
www.airpacksystems.com
www.jamescropper.com
www.dempson.co.uk
www.designpack.co.uk
www.easypack.net
www.hunterpremiumpackaging.com
www.innoviafilms.com
www.marber.co.uk
www.mmr-research.com
www.newvisionpackaging.co.uk
www.procos.info
www.quadpack.com.
www.sappi.com
www.seram.com
www.vetroplas.com
www.winteruk.com

UK's first Luxury Packaging Conference
Leading luxury and premium brands will top the speaker panel at the UK's inaugural Luxury Packaging Conference, which takes place alongside the Luxury Packaging and Packaging Innovations exhibitions. Speakers include senior representatives from Karl Lagerfeld, Godiva Chocolatier, Diageo, Harrods, Procter & Gamble (Prestige Brands), Edrington Group and Neal's Yard Remedies.

Together with luxury experts, they will explore the vital role packaging has to play in positioning and promoting luxury and prestige brands.

Event director Alison Church explains: "As a crucial part of a brand's marketing strategy, packaging's role in consumer engagement, delight, and interaction is one that cannot be overlooked, and this ground-breaking conference will address the key issues in building a true aspirational brand and how you can really innovate in this space."

www.easyFairs.com/LuxuryConference
www.easyFairs.com/LuxuryPackaging