The Allure of Plastic: A Look at PVC Folding Cartons

Plastic has traditionally been recognized for its functional capabilities. It is strong, resilient and at least semi-impermeable, making it a sensible choice for packaging perishable or environmentally sensitive liquids like milk, detergent and other cleaning agents.

However, over the last five years plastic has steadily gained favor for its aesthetic properties, and is now recognized as a clear winner in the competition for shelf appeal. Plastic packaging is available in a variety of elegant finishes and effects that allow the beauty of your product to show through. Clear, lined and frosted versions can be matched to almost any color for maximum brand exposure and custom product design.

Additionally, plastic converters have mastered techniques once reserved for paperboard, such as printing on plastic, spot coating, foil stamping and embossing, making plastic as attractive as it is functional.

It is this unique combination of beauty and durability that makes plastic ideal for versatile product packaging and point-of-purchase (POP) displays. more

Dennis Bacchetta
Packaging

Packaging Students Win Honors in Packaging Competition

Students from the Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT) earned top honors in the Paperboard Packaging Alliance's (PPA) first annual Student Design Challenge competition. The competition challenged students to create a promotional piece showcasing the functionality of paperboard packaging.

The winning entry, titled "Build Innovation", was designed by Jennifer Farrin (senior), David Lickstein (senior), and Robin Matusik (senior).

The structure was constructed with a push-out tray and windowed sleeve that features the "Build Innovation" message when closed, and reveals the PPA website address as the tray is pushed out of the sleeve. The tray top opens to reveal 10 slotted "building" cards that describe paperboard attributes such as "renewable", "promote", "protect", "versatile", and "recycle."

“Paperboard is versatile material coming from renewable and recycled resources and serving markets from pharmaceuticals/healthcare to software, candy to cosmetics, and beverages to food,” said Deanna Jacobs, RIT professor of packaging science. “Creative uses of material will ultimately save resources and energy and continue to meet the demands of the supply chain.”

The RIT team was mentored by Bill Wynkoop ’87 (packaging science) of Lazer Inc. and Lesley Bates ’89 (packaging science) of Diamond Packaging. Both are adjunct professors in packaging science.

For more information, visit the Paperboard Packaging Alliance website.

Dennis Bacchetta

Colorpak Launches New Packaging Solution to the Pharmaceutical Industry

Colorpak, a major supplier of pharmaceutical cartons, has launched an innovative packaging service to Australia’s pharmaceutical industry, where a suite of packaging elements can be sourced, certified and delivered in one complete solution.

Colorpak has named the new service PharmaKit, and Managing Director Alex Commins sees the development as a critical step forward in assisting pharmaceutical clients to greater business and manufacturing efficiencies.

With PharmaKit, pharmaceutical companies can access a complete packaging kit of cartons, printed blister foils, self adhesive labels, flexible packaging and leaflets – one batch, one pallet from one fully certified supplier.

Read the complete article that appears in the May 2005 edition of Packaging News in Australia.

Dennis Bacchetta

PACK EXPO Las Vegas 2005

PACK EXPO Las Vegas 2005, billed as the largest and most comprehensive packaging show in the Western Hemisphere, focuses on the latest cutting-edge packaging and processing solutions.

Show highlights include:

Contract Packaging Pavilion

Packaging Security Pavilion

RFID Pavilion

Showcase of Packaging Innovations™

Containers and Materials Pavilion

The RFID Pavilion is new to this year's event. It promises to bring together all of the necessary technology to implement RFID package coding. RFID technology providers and integration specialists will be available to offer practical and logistical solutions for a variety of RFID challenges.

Dennis Bacchetta

New White Paper Published on CTP Technology

A new white paper titled "What Packaging Buyers Need to Know About Computer to Plate Technology" has been published by the Independent Carton Group (ICG).

Topics include:

Basics of CTP technology

Benefits of CTP to packaging

The changing face of proofing

What it means to packaging buyers

Click here to read the entire report.

Dennis Bacchetta

Integrating RFID Into Your Packaging

Market forces such as the RFID mandates from Target, Wal-Mart, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and the U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) have many manufacturers and suppliers focused on RFID simply as a compliance tool, overlooking the significant additional benefits of automatic identification technology.

In fact, by design, RFID enables superior supply chain efficiency and inventory management, resulting in increased productivity and accountability, decreased shrinkage, and a more robust bottom line.

A packaging supplier who is knowledgeable about evolving RFID technology and applications is a valuable resource to help you maximize ROI with your RFID integration. more

Dennis Bacchetta

Smart Labels USA 2005

Smart Labels USA 2005, billed as the world's definitive RFID smart labels event, will take place June 27-30, 2005 in Baltimore, MD. more

Dennis Bacchetta

EPCglobal US Releases New Value Model

As companies consider whether or not to implement RFID technology, ROI is a primary concern.

EPCglobal recently introduced the EPC Value Model to help businesses evaluate potential costs and benefits of implementing RFID or another Electronic Product Code (EPC) system.

The spreadsheet model considers company-specific data such as annual revenue, profit margin, average inventory level, and key areas of concern, to generate an analysis of ROI over time.

The following companies participated in the formulation of the Value Model: CVS, The Gillette Company, Hewlett-Packard, Johnson & Johnson, Kimberly-Clark, Metro (Germany), Wal-Mart and Yuen Foong Yu (Taiwan).

Click here to read the press release.

Dennis Bacchetta

Paperboard Packaging Alliance (PPA) Launches New Website

The Paperboard Packaging Alliance (PPA), a joint initiative of the American Forest & Paper Association and the Paperboard Packaging Council (PPC), have launched a new website at www.paperboardpackaging.org.

The PPA's primary goal is to increase favorable paperboard packaging and products awareness among priority target audiences. Visitors to the website can access topics such as technical information, benefits, and a product showcase sorted by industry.

Dennis Bacchetta

Choosing the Proper Coating For Your Packaging

Choosing the proper coating is an essential step in designing and producing quality packaging. Why are coatings important? For some of the same reasons that packaging is important. While packaging protects and enhances the beauty of what’s inside, coatings help protect and enhance the appearance of the package itself. Because coatings are dually decorative and protective, they are an economical way to extend both the appearance and the lifespan of the package. more

Dennis Bacchetta

The Power to Protect - Three Steps to Protection Against Counterfeiting

The Rob. Leunis & Chapman Group will be presenting anti-counterfeiting solutions and applications at the Interpack Packaging Fair 2005 in Duesseldorf, Germany.

In the battle against product and brand piracy the Rob. Leunis & Chapman Group (RLC Group) has formed a task force team called “Product and Brand Protection” that has developed a new three-phase customer counseling concept, and intensified cooperation with leading suppliers of security technology and organizations such as “Association German Economy Against Product and Brand Piracy” - the German equivalent of Scotland Yard in the UK. more

Dennis Bacchetta

RFID Journal LIVE! Pre-Conference on Packaging and Printing

RFID is going to have a profound impact on the packaging and printing industries. Packaging companies must develop new methods of integrating tags directly into their products, while printing companies certainly will print antennas for RFID tags with conductive inks. The April 10, 2005 pre-conference explores the changes that are in store. Speakers will address the specific issues that packaging and printing companies need to understand to meet the challenges ahead.

RFID Journal LIVE! formally opens with a keynote address by Tom Ridge, former Secretary of Homeland Security, who will address the importance of technology in protecting the homeland.

Visit the RFID Journal LIVE!for the complete agenda.

Dennis Bacchetta

RFID: A Smart Tag Primer

Good things come in small packages. This familiar cliché usually refers to precious stones, but today it's taken on new meaning, in that small things are now protecting items we deem valuable.

Analysts estimate that the retail industry loses US $50B a year to theft and up to ten times that much to counterfeiting. High-end products such as cosmetics, fragrances and pharmaceuticals are most likely to be stolen or counterfeited. Many retailers and manufacturers believe that this big problem may have a tiny solution – RFID smart tags. more

Dennis Bacchetta

Welcome!

Welcome to the new Diamond Packaging blog. Check back for packaging updates, industry news and technical articles.