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REPACKAGING THE FUTURE. Sustainable. Automated. Connected.

MAY2022 packworld.com

Digital Can Printer is Ready for Prime Time 40

PackML Lets Packaging Machines Talk to Each Other 42

Paperboard Wraps Carry Reusable Aluminum Brita Bottles 54

New Packaging Products

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Aveda Swaps Laminated Foil Sachets for Recyclable Paper Sample Packets

4/20/22 16:46

Meet Kevin. Kevin is the new operations manager at a rapidly expanding brewery. Integrating a reliable date code system was one of his first objectives, as the current inkjet resulted in inconsistent codes and could not keep up with production demands. The challenge was finding a repeatable, reliable solution to deliver high-quality codes on a beer can’s uneven surface. With Domino, Kevin discovered reliable inkjet coders that prevent the risk of missing or illegible codes.

Cheers to Kevin for making the right decision in his new role!

LESS RISK. LESS WASTE. MORE CONFIDENCE. Learn more about how Kevin gained confidence with Domino.

domino-printing.com

Experts in Traceability Codes | Inkjet | Laser | Case Coding | Label Print & Apply

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4/19/22 11:27 AM

Together under one roof: Six of the most iconic names in packaging machinery. Doboy. Elematic. Kliklok. Osgood. Sigpack. Woodman. For more than 75 years, our companies have provided packaging machinery to the producers of everyday trusted brands. Today, as Syntegon Technology, we offer a one-stop shop for everything from standalone machines to complete manufacturing systems — from processing to packaging — with a world-class service team to back it up.

Processing and Packaging for a Better Life Inquiries +1 (770) 981-5200 connectwithus@syntegon.com www.syntegon.com/food

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4/19/22 12:16 PM

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VOL29

NO5

Standing beside pallets of digitally printed cans unitized in corrugated wrap are (left to right) Hart Print’s Co-founder Alexander Anishin, Co-CEO Co-Founder Stephanie Hart, and Co-CEO Co-Founder JP Paradis. 34

FEATURES 24 COVER STORY Digital Continues to Transform Printing and Finishing

40 AUTOMATION Primer: Machine-to-Machine Communication Via PackML

With digital’s share of the printed label and packaging market showing impressive gains, a number of new players are entering the game—especially in the direct-to-shape space.

At PACK EXPO East 2022, Ron MacDonald of OMAC walked attendees through key states of PackML, highlighting their impact on successful packaging line operation.

33 Snacks in Digitally Printed Cans

42 Co-packer Deploys Packaging Innovations for Brita Bottled Water

This Canadian startup discovered that the best way to get its tasty snacks to market in ring-pull aluminum cans was to rely on direct-to-shape digital printing. 42

34 Aveda’s Paper Sample Packet Replaces Foil Sachets Sampling is a huge piece of the puzzle for The Estée Lauder Companies and its brands. Aveda and its supplier partners found a way to sample product more sustainably, using curbside recycle-ready (or -certified, depending on locale) paper packets formed on unique vf/f/s equipment.

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B Water & Beverages works with Brita to design sustainable packaging for its first retail bottled water product that includes a sturdy, striking, refillable, recyclable aluminum bottle and a plastic-free paperboard carrier that is also fully recyclable.

50 SHOW PREVIEW Previewing EXPO PACK Mexico 2022 After four years without an in-person event of its kind in Mexico City, the biggest packaging and processing tradeshow in Latin America is back with an unprecedented technological and educational offering for brand owners and CPGs.

4/20/22 05:41

NEW

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4/1/22 2:46 PM

4 PW MAY2022

DEPARTMENTS 11

packworld.com VIDEO

COLUMNS

7 18 19 20 52 56

Paperboard Carriers Applied to Brita Bottles

Lead Off The Legal Side The Big Picture Sustainable Packaging Shelf Impact! Professional Perspective

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NEWS/EVENTS

VIDEO

8 News 15 Quotables/By the Numbers 53 Industry Watch 52

Filling Aveda’s Paper-based Sample Packets

INTERVIEW

16 First Person

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PRODUCTS

54 Technology

VIDEO

All-in-one Digital Label Press

ADVERTISING

22 Leaders in Packaging Product Directory 55 Advertiser Index

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EDITORIAL ADVISORY BOARD Aladin Alkhawam Director, Packaging Operations, Par Pharmaceutical

WEBINAR

Jan Brücklmeier Technical Application Group Packaging Technology Expert, Nestlé

Mike Marcinkowski Global R&D Officer, GPA Global & Hub Folding Box Co.

Paul Schaum Chief Operations Officer, Pretzels Inc.

pwgo.to/7557

M. Shawn French Director – Innovation & Packaging Engineering (Beverage), Danone North America Patrick Keenan R&D Packaging Engineer, General Mills/Annie’s Organic Snacks

David Smith, PhD Principal, David S. Smith & Associates Brian Stepowany Packaging R&D, Senior Manager, B&G Foods, Inc. Jasmine Sutherland President, Texas Food Solutions; Vice President, Perfect Fit Meals

Connect with a Leaders in Packaging supplier and support packaging education!

Connect with us:

www.packworld.com/leaders

Packaging World® (ISSN # 1073-7367) is a registered trademark of PMMI, The Association for Packaging and Processing Technologies. Packaging World® is published monthly by PMMI with its publishing office, PMMI Media Group, located at 401 N. Michigan Avenue, Suite 1700, Chicago, IL 60611; 312.222.1010; Fax: 312.222.1310. Periodicals postage paid at Chicago, IL, and additional mailing offices. Copyright 2022 by PMMI. All rights reserved. Materials in this publication must not be reproduced in any form without written permission of the publisher. Applications for a free subscription may be made online at www.packworld.com/subscribe. Paid subscription rates per year are $254 in the U.S., $363 Canada and Mexico by surface mail; $605 Europe and South America; $907 Far East, Australia, and other countries by air mail. Single copy price in U.S. is $20. To subscribe or manage your subscription to Packaging World, visit Packworld.com/subscribe. Free digital edition available to qualified individuals outside the United States. POSTMASTER; Send address changes to Packaging World®, 401 N. Michigan Avenue, Suite 1700, Chicago, IL 60611. PRINTED IN USA by Quad. The opinions expressed in articles are those of the authors and not necessarily those of PMMI. Comments, questions and letters to the editor are welcome and can be sent to: editors@packworld.com. Mailing List: We make a portion of our mailing list available to reputable firms. If you would prefer that we don’t include your name, please write us at the Chicago, IL address.

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4/20/22 05:41

Krones, Inc. 414-409-4000 sales@kronesusa.com www.kronesusa.com

The future starts in our heads Discover our line innovations at krones.com

drinktec 2022 Munich, September 12-16 Hall B6

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14.04.2022 13:10:22 4/19/22 12:18 PM

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EDITORIAL Matt Reynolds Chief Editor Iris Zavala Managing Editor Anne Marie Mohan Senior Editor @PackagingTrends Jim Chrzan Vice President, Content and Brand Strategy Kim Overstreet Director, Emerging Brands Community Pat Reynolds, Sterling Anthony, Eric F. Greenberg, Ben Miyares Contributing Editors

ART David Bacho Creative Director

AUDIENCE & DIGITAL Elizabeth Kachoris Senior Director, Digital and Data Jen Krepelka Director, Websites + UX/UI

ADVERTISING Wendy Sawtell Vice President, Sales • wsawtell@pmmimediagroup.com Lara Krieger Production Manager • lkrieger@pmmimediagroup.com Kelly Greeby Senior Director, Client Success & Media Operations Alicia Pettigrew Director, Product Strategy

PMMI MEDIA GROUP Joseph Angel President, Publisher David Newcorn Executive Vice President Sharon Taylor Director, Marketing Amber Miller Senior Marketing Manager Janet Fabiano Financial Services Manager Lloyd Ferguson Founding Partner

Packaging World • PMMI Media Group

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PMMI The Association for Packaging and Processing Technologies 12930 Worldgate Dr., Suite 200, Herndon VA, 20170 Phone: 571/612-3200 • Fax: 703/243-8556 • Web: www.pmmi.org

Staff at PMMI Media Group can be contacted at info@pmmimediagroup.com

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4/19/22 12:19 PM

LEAD OFF

Bag-in-Box

Ardagh Invests in Digital Can Printing Commercially viable since 2019 and operating more or less under the radar at first, Canada’s Hart Print is now ready for what Co-CEO and Co-Founder JP Paradis calls “our coming out party.” With two Hinterkopf direct-to-shape digital can printing systems humming in the Montreal plant where it all began, the firm is opening a 45,000 sq ft facility in Chicago’s western suburbs that will have three printers running by the end of this year. Two more sites are now being planned, which means that by the end of 2023, Hart will have four sites and nine Hinterkopf direct-to-shape digital can printers. In some ways it all started with Stephanie Hart, whose name the company bears. She wore a number of hats in the lead up to the launch of Hart Print. From 2004 until 2020 she was at ALDO Group, a Montreal-based firm specializing in the design and production of quality, stylish, and accessible footwear and accessories. Her last position there was VP of Real Estate and Brand Environments. In 2016 she enrolled in the John Molson Executive MBA program at Concordia University in Montreal. And somewhere along the way she became an investor and partner in Brasserie Harricana, a new microbrewery also in Montreal. Like many microbreweries, small batches and artisanal offerings were central to the Harricana business. “But as we looked at ways of decorating cans in small batches, “ says Hart, Co-Chief Executive Officer and Co-Founder, “we realized that the only real options were stickers, which are not very attractive, or shrink sleeve labels, which are not good environmentally. At about the same time I met three fellow students in the MBA program, and before you knew it we were looking for a way to digitally print cans in small batches. Initially it was an academic assignment that was part of our course work. But when we graduated, we decided to make it happen.” Paradis, who was one of those “fellow students,” picks up on the firm’s backstory. “We were identified by the Quebec government as an innovative manufacturer, which allowed us to structure a loan from a bank that was one-third interest-free. That was a huge boost, as government support paved the way to positive discussions with commercial banks. We did initially have one partner who came in with some private equity money, but later we replaced that partner with money largely from friends and family, so by the end of 2020 we three co-founders had 100% ownership of the company.” Joining Paradis and Hart as the third co-founder was Alexander Anishin, and it was he who first identified Hinterkopf as the source of the can printers the firm would install. For more on the printers and the whole container handling part of the story, be sure to see coverage that begins on page 24. Hart Print’s chances for growth and success took a big leap forward in November of 2021 when the three-year-old firm was acquired by Ardagh Metal Packaging (AMP), a global player with nearly 6,000 employees, operations in 24 production facilities across Europe, North America, and Brazil, and sales of approximately $4.1 billion. “This initiative enhances AMP’s ability to serve fast-growing, emerging customers as they seek to access the market,” noted AMP in announcing the acquisition. “In addition, it enables AMP to flexibly respond to larger customers’ shorter-run requirements, including for new product introductions and targeted promotions.” Among the more exciting aspects of this development is that now can maker and can printer are joined at the hip. “When you think about can makers like Ball, Crown, or Ardagh, a firm like Hart is such a small part of their business that they don’t necessarily know the best way to create a can suitable for digital printing,” says Paradis. “The printed cans they sell to the Coca-Colas of the world have an extremely slick overvarnish that helps cans run through filling and packaging machinery at very high speeds. That’s the opposite of what we need. We need a sticky surface that’s going to have great ink adhesion. With Ardagh’s acquisition of Hart Print, we’ll be able to jointly take a much closer look at what goes onto the can during the manufacturing process, maybe even to the point of looking at cans that are made specifically for digital print. Suffice it to say that this acquisition is a game changer in terms of Hart’s journey.” PW reynolds@packworld.com

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Precise and Gentle

BUILT TO PERFORM EVERY SINGLE TIME

PMI KYOTO Built to order. Built to perform Built to last.

4/21/22 10:31 AM

8 PW MAY2022

NEWS

PACK EXPO International Adds Eight New Show Features Registration is now open for the long-awaited return of PACK EXPO International 2022 (Oct. 23-26; McCormick Place, Chicago), the most comprehensive packaging and processing show in the world in 2022. In response to the unprecedented demands on the industry, PACK EXPO International 2022 will offer more features than ever before, according to show producer PMMI, The Association for Packaging and Processing Technologies. It’s vital for the packaging and processing industries to come together and share innovations, connect with colleagues, hear from experts, and see machinery in action—and PACK EXPO International 2022 is the most efficient and effective way to do it all, offering solutions for over 40 vertical markets. No other event this year will showcase entire production line solutions and offer attendees everything needed to compete in a changing marketplace. “There has been so much innovation in our industry since this show’s last in person installment in 2018 that end users can’t afford to miss this opportunity to see the latest breakthroughs live, in-action,” says Jim Pittas, President and CEO, PMMI. “No other show in the world this year will offer what PACK EXPO International offers. We can’t wait to return to Chicago to debut our brand-new show features, reinstate show favorites, and continue to drive the industry forward.”

New show features The interactive PACK to the Future Exhibit celebrates the role of packaging and processing through history and the impact it is poised to have on our future. Accompanied by an educational component, the PACK to the Future Stage will provide free industry-expert presentations on cutting-edge industry advancements. PACK Match at PACK EXPO International debuts, providing attendees complimentary personalized, one-on-one guidance with PACK Match Ad-

Irish Spring Rebrands, Emphasizing its ‘Smell from a Nice-Smelling Place’ Since Irish Spring soap was introduced in 1970, brand owner Colgate-Palmolive has touted the distinctive original fragrance of the green-and-white deodorant bar soap targeted to men who want to smell good. Since then, the brand has added several scents and products, including a range of body wash products. Looking to expand its appeal to a younger male consumer, Colgate-Palmolive recently tapped graphic design firm Chase Design Group and structural design company Tin Horse to work as a team with the Colgate-Palmolive Global Design Brand Group for a rebrand that better reflects stylish, modern masculinity. The design team married the new brand promise, smell from a nice-smelling place, with the versatility of its iconic assets—a richer-green Irish Spring structure, a white brand mark, and a golden clover symbol—to create a sleek, modern look that pays homage to the brand’s legacy. “Communicating the pure essence of Irish Spring required

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visors to connect attendees with the right suppliers. The Emerging Brands Summit will launch at PACK EXPO International 2022 and will be a one-day event featuring educational content, tabletop exhibits, and expert advisors. This new program is aimed at founders and leaders of startup manufacturing companies looking to scale their brand to larger production through either in-house facility build out, or outsourced relationships with contract manufacturers and packagers. Exhibitors will include packaging machinery, packaging materials, processing equipment, and contract manufacturing and packaging. PACK Challenge is a brand-new packaging competition that brings high school teams together for a head-to-head machine-building competition. The winning school will be awarded $5,000 with an additional $2,000 split between individual team members. Afterward, the teams will take the machines back to their school, providing future students the opportunity for hands-on experience.

BEFORE

AFTER

moving beyond its past and developing a discreet and stylish presence with a system that facilitates distinction between the variants,” says Steve Dunphy, executive creative director, Chase Design Group, New York. The new body wash package design celebrates simplicity and is rooted in the brand’s cleansing power and nature’s raw beauty. A

4/19/22 12:49 PM

The Processing Zone returns to PACK EXPO International in 2022 along with the Processing Innovation Stage, focusing on the latest breakthroughs in processing. In today’s manufacturing environment, processing and packaging are integrated systems, making it critical to bring both solutions under one roof. The new Industry Speaks Stage features expert sessions from the PACK EXPO Partner Program, addressing the latest hot-button topics and industry trends across multiple industry verticals.

Brand new pavilions The Healthcare Packaging Pavilion—The name is the only thing that’s changed about this gathering ground for life science industries. Innovations for pharmaceuticals, biopharmaceuticals, nutraceuticals, and medical devices will be front and center in this targeted show floor destination. The Logistics Pavilion—A crucial part of the product journey is from manufacturer to consumer. With the boom in e-commerce, the Logistics Pavilion in the North Building will be the place to find targeted solutions related to the supply chain, including warehousing, fulfillment, distribution logistics services, and transportation providers. Returning favorites include unmatched show floor education on three Innovation Stages and at The Forum. The Forum will feature interactive sessions, including small group discussions and Q&A sessions. The Innovation Stages on the show floor provide quick presentations on breakthrough technologies and techniques focused on a wide range of industry-specific solutions. To learn more and to register, visit packexpointernational.com. Registration for the show is $30 until Sept. 30, after which it increases to $130. —Sean Riley

custom natural scene adorns each of the various scents, which include Original Clean along with Moisture Blast, Active Scrub, Aloe Mist, 5-in-1, Charcoal Refresh, Ultimate Wakeup, Black Mint, and Sage Cedar, for a total of 13 SKUs. Colgate-Palmolive and Chase worked in tandem with the structural design team at Tin Horse to evolve the bottle to a sleek and sophisticated shape, allowing it to stand out from competing brands on a shelf. The new, modern brand mark was designed to work with the streamlined structure and appeal to the younger male consumer. “We created a restrained aesthetic style by using a title case and bold sans-serif typography that retains the fresh white color of the old brand mark, and added a lock-up with a stylized clover in a warm golden hue. It effectively serves as a timeless symbol for the brand’s legacy,” says Dunphy. For the bar soap, the richer green is enhanced by the new clover icon. The large multipacks provide the canvas, similar to a travel poster, highlighting the refreshing destinations of Irish Spring. Say Monica Goodman of Colgate-Palmolive Design and Jamila Aubain of Colgate-Palmolive Marketing, “The spirit and essence of Irish Spring is coming through in a fresh new way through breathtaking layered computer-generated images of landscapes that invite you into an experience.” —Anne Marie Mohan

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4/19/22 12:50 PM

10 PW MAY2022

NEWS

Monomaterial Pouches Refill Durable Aluminum Bottle In Japan, popular P&G haircare brand Pantene is taking an on-trend route to an improved sustainability profile with a lightweight, beautifully decorated aluminum bottle that’s reusable after its contents have been emptied. The bottle is meant to be refilled with shampoo or conditioner via recyclable pouches, with flexible packaging supplier Zacros providing a unique, monolayer polyethylene solution. The Pantene stand-up pouch, which Zacros describes as “Japan’s first ever monomaterial refill pouch,” is a PE/PE adhesive lamination where the adhesive provides barrier yet does not interfere with the PE recycle stream. The idea here, of course, is for the consumer to pour the contents into a reusable rigid container and then dispose of the pouch in the PE recycle stream. The challenge that Zacros had with this monomaterial pouch development was selecting proper materials with only the use of adhesive, ink, and barrier materials of less than 5% by weight, that

still provided durability for the liquid. With the company’s unique converting technique, it was able to achieve an oxygen permeability of 4.6cc/m2/24 hours at 30°C, 70% RH condition with two PE layers. By comparison, a single PE film had over 1000cc/m2/24 hours at the same condition. For a hair care product like Pantene, the oxygen barrier property becomes a vital parameter to prevent the permeation of fragrance. In addition, the Water Vapor Transmission Rate (WVTR) of the monomaterial pouch was 1.5g/m2/24 hours at 40°C, 100% RH, while the WVTR of a single PE film was over 2.6g/m2/24 hours. The WVTR is an essential variable in determining the shelf life of products like these. The company says this monomaterial pouch can withstand a drop test for horizontal and vertical orientations, respectively. This P&G Japan monomaterial pouch is only 350-mL. However, Zacros has already extended the development of monomaterial pouch size up to 1.3 L with the durability necessary for liquid products. —Matt Reynolds

Top Five Packaging Design Adjustments for Selling Online

The trend of online shopping, which accelerated with the pandemic, is here to stay and will continue to grow, as shoppers become increasingly comfortable with virtual buying formats. That’s according to AMC Global, which advises that as brands update or launch new products, the online shopping environment must be considered in packaging design. Using insights gathered from market research, AMC has compiled the top five packaging considerations for successfully selling online. 1. Design for the digital shelf: Because product packaging may appear much smaller in the digital environment, simplified versioning may be necessary. Product packaging that has been more traditionally designed for in-store and on-the-shelf presence may not be the best approach to meet the online shopper. You must be able to grab attention online with strong, noticeable package images and messages that are clear in purpose, easy to read, and easy to understand.

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2. Create clear and concise claims: Online shoppers can’t pick up your package to read long paragraphs describing the benefits of the product or to inspect ingredients effortlessly. Since your package can’t be handled and inspected, the product claims need to be clear and simple, and content lists must be readily apparent. Your package and digital presence must provide all the information necessary for virtual decision making. 3. Get innovative with packaging display online: When designing packaging for virtual display, closely examine all the new promotional avenues available to you in the virtual environment. Online, you have the ability to direct attention by zooming in on certain areas of the package, using video demonstrations, or perhaps showcasing the package in a reallife environment. The possibilities are endless in a virtual world. 4. Adjust physical packaging: It’s not just the visuals and exterior of the packaging that must be considered for e-commerce. Your product is going to be shipped, so you must take that aspect into consideration. A compact design could save on shipping costs, and designing something that is safe and secure for shipping is also important. In addition, using sustainable materials continues to be important in pack designs. Consumers prioritize it and are demanding eco-friendly options. 5. Stay true to the brand: Brand consistency across all selling platforms is vital to brand trust and brand image. Despite the need to adjust many aspects of the package online, you need to also stay true to your brand’s recognized logo, colors, and other globally identifying factors. No matter how many packaging changes and modifications you need to make, don’t lose sight of one key fact: Your brand should be central to all aspects of the design. —Anne Marie Mohan

4/19/22 12:51 PM

LIQUIDS IN BAGS VERTICAL FORM FILL SEAL MACHINES BY GENERAL

Bill Nye the Science Guy and Coca-Cola Teach Recycling As science educator Bill Nye always says, “It’s not magic, it’s science!” And now he’s helping to show the magic, and the science, behind recycling. The Coca-Cola Company teamed with Nye to unveil an animated, stop-motion short film that illustrates the holistic recycling process. The film breaks down the ins-and-outs of plastic recycling for viewers to demystify the process, with a goal of inspiring action. “As we know, we need to reuse plastic,” says Nye. “That’s why I’m partnering with The Coca-Cola Company to show the science behind the process of recycling and how we can continue to address the global plastic waste crisis, together.” Produced for The Coca-Cola Company by Mackinnon & Saunders, the animators and puppeteers behind feature films like Fantastic Mr. Fox, Corpse Bride, and more, the film features an animated (and recycled) version of Nye who explains the end-to-end recycling process. As Nye narrates the process in his dynamic and engaging style, the content takes viewers on the circular journey of a plastic bottle, starting from the time it’s placed in a recycling bin to it coming back on the shelf as a 100% recycled bottle (excluding cap and label). While roughly 59% of Americans have access to curbside recycling, 27% of plastic bottles are currently recycled in the U.S., according to statistics furnished by the company. The Coca-Cola Company wants to help change that. One of the company’s goals as part of its World Without Waste sustainable packaging initiative is to collect and recycle a bottle or can for everyone it sells by 2030. The company is also committed to making 100% of its packaging recyclable by 2025 and using at least 50% recycled material in its packaging by 2030. This new film highlights that recycling is critical to “closing the loop,” or using and reusing the materials in plastic bottles again and again. “We recognize our responsibility to help address the world’s plastic waste crisis and to help create a closed loop economy, but we can’t do it alone,” says Christine Yeager, Director, Sustainability at The Coca-Cola Company North America. “And who better than Bill Nye to help inspire everyone to understand, think, feel, and behave differently about recycling. Still, there’s much more that needs to be done. That’s why we’re also advocating for well-designed collection policy, funding infrastructure, and creating greater economic demand for recycled content. But Step One is collecting and recycling our bottles.” Creatively, the approach to the film was not just about visualizing this process, but also reflected the use of recycled materials throughout. Beyond the recycled puppet of Nye, packaging materials from Coca-Cola packaging, including plastic bottles, labels, and cardboard were incorporated into every aspect of the short. Trees were made by reusing Sprite labels and conveyor belts designed from recyclable cardboard, creating a film that embodies recycling, design, and function. Fans can watch the World Without Waste film at CokeURL.com/ClosedLoop, or use the QR code provided in the photo above. —Matt Reynolds

VFFS single tube and multi-lane models accommodate fill volumes from 1 ml to 3 gallons or 10 liters with free flowing to viscous products in pillow, 3 side seal, 4 side seal and square bottom bags. General has manufactured VFFS machines for packaging liquids in bags for over 50 years. All of General’s broad range of liquid fillers are designed and made in-house. General designs and builds applicators for caps, pumps, and other dispensing devices. For more information, please contact:

General Packaging Equipment Co. 6048 Westview Drive • Houston, Texas 77055 P: 713-686-4331 • F: 713-683-3967 www.generalpackaging.com sales@generalpackaging.com

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4/19/22 12:52 PM

12 PW MAY2022

NEWS

Colgate-Palmolive and Walmart Shake Up the Dish Soap Category No longer just the realm of entrepreneurial startups, refillable/reusable packaging for household cleaning products has hit the mainstream. In March, Colgate-Palmolive announced the launch of its new Palmolive Shake & Clean Dish Soap product, which features a packaging system made up of a reusable bottle paired with a flexible pouch refill. Together, the bottle and refill are said to result in 75% less plastic waste versus a new 20-oz bottle of Palmolive dish soap. The product is being sold exclusively at Walmart in 2,000 stores nationwide. Says Joana Baquero, Palmolive marketing director for dish, “Every act of care makes a difference. Sustainability is a core value that we embrace, and we’re excited to further deliver on our commitment to sustainability by teaming up with Walmart on this innovation with a breakthrough new technology.” The new technology comes in the form of a 4X-concentrated dish soap gel. The concentrate is packaged in a flexible film pouch that holds 5 oz of the gel, in either a Floral Breeze or Fresh Citrus scent. The product formulation also boasts better-for-the planet attributes. According to Palmolive, the “family-friendly formula” is free from parabens and phosphates, and uses 100% biodegradable cleaning ingredients. The reusable bottle, in the iconic Palmolive dish-soap bottle shape, is made from 100% recycled, clear PET. Two years ago, the company began

Watch this video on how to use new Palmolive Shake & Clean

the transition to 100% rPET, moving all of its ultra dish-soap bottles to recycled material for a reduction in plastic of 5,200 tons per year (see pwgo.to/7545). “We continue this journey with Palmolive Shake & Clean in tandem with Walmart where we can now encourage people to reuse their bottles and lessen their carbon footprint,” says Baquero. Product instructions include three easy steps, advises Palmolive: Fill the empty dish soap bottle with water to a line indicated on the container; add the gel dish soap concentrate; and shake the bottle from side-to-side to activate the formula and produce a 20-oz bottle of dish soap. The Palmolive Shake & Clean Dish Soap is sold as a starter kit, with one bottle and one refill, in a recyclable paperboard carton, for $2.49. Two-pack refill kits, also packaged in a paperboard carton, are sold for $4.78. The products are available in-store and on Walmart.com. Says Corey Bender, merchandising vice president, household essentials, for Walmart U.S., “Walmart has long-standing commitments in sustainability, including selling products that use less resources and generate less waste. We are thrilled to collaborate with Colgate-Palmolive to bring Palmolive Shake & Clean Dish Soap to our customers, an innovative product that provides very effective cleaning while reducing plastic waste.” —Anne Marie Mohan

Plant-Based Cheeses Improve Formulation and Packaging to Stand Out on Shelves GOOD PLANeT Foods rebranded its entire line of plant-based cheeses ahead of a large growth projection in 2022, with recent distribution gains in retailers like Giant Martin, Giant Eagle, and Hy-Vee, and increased distribution nationally in Sprouts. The company changed the communications hierarchy on the package to ensure that it was clear and easy to read. It also paired flavor description with imagery of the application to create appetite appeal. An important visual aspect of the new packaging shows how the product can melt, which can be uncommon for vegan cheeses. GOOD PLANeT selected Belmark’s recyclable flexible pouches for this product. “With so many new entrants to the plant-based segment, we needed to make sure we approached our new packaging design that it needed to stand out but was also very easy to recognize and shop for,” says Virginia Wong, Director of Brand and Content at GOOD PLANeT Foods. “We updated our font to be bolder and

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easier to read, reorganized and reprioritized our communication, and we shot brand new food photography that truly showed off the superior melt that our products deliver.” Along with the rebrand, GOOD PLANeT debuted its newest plant-based snackable cheese wedges, which are packaged in a carton from Amcor that uses 90% post-consumer material and is recyclable. The company says it’s in the process of testing recyclable and compostable packaging for its shreds and slices. “We have been challenged in finding a better option,” says Wong. “The cheese category has been limited with materials over the year but is committed to finding better options that are more environmentally friendly. All our products have sustainability in mind, and we are pushing to do more toward this goal.” —Natalie Craig

4/19/22 12:52 PM

Compact Bra Alternative Gets Luxe Packaging with Detailed Printing

Nuudii System offers grab-and-go “boobwear,” or bra alternative, that gives women an option between wearing a bra and going braless. Nuudiis are hardware-free and made of 73% nylon and 27% spandex. Since the product is compact and only weighs 1.5 oz., it’s not sold or displayed in retail like typical bras. Instead, Nuudiis are sold packaged and sealed on retail shelves, online, and in special vending machines found in airports, spas, and other retail spaces. Given the product’s unique shape and retail goals, Annette Azan, Founder and CEO, realized the company needed to come up with a package that lent itself well to the places Nuudii wanted to sell into. The company also wanted the packaging to have a premium feel, enhanced branding and printing capabilities, and a sleek look, which its original package lacked. “We started with plant-based corn packaging, but it was just really simple,” Azan said. “It wasn’t ideal. The corn packaging is a little crinkly and it can crease. The bags were also non-branded,

but we knew we needed to take Nuudii in a different direction. The packaging was a critical part of the branding because Nuudii will never be sold outside of a package or hanging on a hanger in a store. The packaging we have today took a year to develop because we couldn’t find anything that protected the product, that was sealed, and that allowed fine printing. We have printed photography and a size chart on the package. Because Nuudii is small, we needed to have the ability to fine print without losing quality. We were having some huge hiccups with finding fine printing on plant-based packaging.” In March, Nuudii System launched updated, biodegradable, plant-based packaging, helping the company to transition to the desired retail channels. Australiabased Grounded Packaging supplied the pouch, which is made from sugar cane. The package is soft to the touch, something Azan said was important to communicate the experience users will have when they put on a Nuudii. “It’s beautiful, soft to the touch because this is an intimate product, right? You want all the sensory things that come along with it to take place for consumers,” Azan says. “The color isn’t a stark white, it has milkiness to it, which again, from a sensory point of view, nothing is stark. Everything feels luscious. The whole packaging makes you feel like this is a little bit of a luxury to have.” The package allows the product to be sealed completely. A hole on top of the package allows it to be hung in retail spaces and in vending machines. The back of the package has detailed graphics showing women the different ways they can wear the product, as well as a sizing chart. The brand was able to enhance its branding and commitment to sustainability with the new package design. The package is 100% recyclable for every one of the pouches made, the packaging supplier Grounded pledges to remove the equivalent weight and plastic from the oceans. “On the back of the packaging, we include information about how it’s made from plants and recyclable.” —Natalie Craig

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14 PW MAY2022

NEWS

How Will Inflation Affect Packaging Material Costs in 2022? Inflationary pressure on packaging materials will continue to rise in 2022 leading to double-digit price increases, with food packaging being a major contributor. That’s according to a new report from Rabobank that covers the 12-month inflation outlook in North America for packaging materials in light of the Russia-Ukraine war. Notes Rabobank, heading into 2022, U.S. consumer retail demand remains strong. Total retail sales achieved a 10.3% CAGR in the past two years, with goods requiring more packaging than before. In many cases, the demand exceeded the growth in packaging production, leading to a tight food packaging market with high operating rates across various materials, such as beverage cans, corrugated boxes, and PET milk bottles. Meanwhile, cost inflation is increasingly hitting the packaging sector due to increases in energy, transportation, and labor costs. Notes the report, “Along with the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine, these factors will lead to continued price increases of food packaging in the next 12 months.” In the area of fiber-based packaging, the report reveals that U.S. corrugated containerboard has seen five price increases since the pandemic, which is just one less than in the past decade. Surging e-commerce sales, which jumped 14.3% since 2020, recent cost increases, and a consolidated industry led to ongoing price increases. While fiber is the most important cost component—which in North America is relatively shielded from the impact of the Russia-Ukraine war—other supply chain factors can add up and swing paper prices as well. • Soaring energy costs in Europe have created massive uncertainties for European paper producers. In Q4-21, petroleum-based energy accounted for 3% to 8% of the total cash costs in North America. With a potential 45% increase in crude oil prices, energy costs for paper packaging are expected to increase by 3.4%. • As a result of the expected double-digit increase in transportation costs and rise in fuel costs, production costs are expected to increase by 2.3% to 3.6%. • Cornstarch is a small, yet essential, papermaking chemical in North America, where the market has already experienced tight supply and high demand over the past two years. Since the Russia-Ukraine war, corn prices surged again, with prices now twice as high as two years ago, strongly indicating a continued upward trend in cornstarch pricing. Due to the short-term capacity constraints and cost increases, Rabobank predicts that corrugated prices may experience double-digit growth in 2022. However, it advises, there is ample supply from conversion and greenfield projects expected to come online starting in 2023. As for folding carton packaging, Rabobank says it has a more stable demand outlook, but is subject to the same general underlying inflationary factors as corrugated packaging. In the area of plastic packaging, the report shares that over the last two years, there have been once-in-a-lifetime price increases as a result of weather events, infrastructure breakdown, COVID-19, and labor shortages. But demand for resins remains strong, it says, as the U.S. economy

News_0522.indd 14

has shown resilience, even in the face of higher inflation and fuel prices. Prices of major packaging resins, such as PET, were up US$0.26/lb, or 48.6%, in 2021. Recent events in Ukraine continue the upward pressure on packaging resins, with regional PET prices increasing by US$0.20/lb in the first two months of 2022. North America depends heavily on imported material, and there has been no improvement on that front with continued supply issues in domestic PET production. Says Rabobank, the ongoing war in Ukraine has led to volatility in

global energy markets, pressuring upward movement in packaging resins. Polyethylene suppliers announced an increase of US$0.04/lb in March, with further increases of US$0.04 to US$0.05/lb in April. Polystyrene used in foodservice packaging is experiencing a US$0.05/lb hike due to higher costs for monomers and benzene feedstock. Prices are moving upward all along the resin supply chains. Despite the price increases, the report notes that some relief is on the way in North America, particularly in PE supply, with several new chemical plants coming online this year. “Most of these plants were originally destined for the export markets,” says the report, “but logistical problems may hinder the 40% export goal and redirect some supply to relieve domestic markets.” As for aluminum, it has experienced significant price volatility with a price increase of over 40% in the past two years. The U.S. market continues to be dominated by the enormous supply gap that led to 15 billion cans being imported in 2021, or more than 15% of long-term demand in the U.S. On top of the already large supply and demand constraints in the global market, the recent energy price surge has added another layer of inflation to the energy-intensive industry. Says Rabobank, “Not only do we expect higher prices in 2022, but we also expect small beverage producers to face continued risk of aluminum can supply shortage.” The glass packaging supply chain is energy-intensive and is expected to be heavily impacted by rising energy costs. As the largest importer of glass bottles, U.S. glass bottle supply is more closely linked to the global market, and the impact of the EU energy crisis may be more pronounced. Tight supply, especially for wineries, distilleries, and craft brewers, as well as higher cost, are expected for the next 12 months. —Anne Marie Mohan

4/19/22 12:53 PM

QUOTABLES

“Smaller bubbles, also infused with nitrogen, create an unbelievably smooth, creamy texture made possible by a unique widget placed at the bottom of every can. This is the first time this type of widget technology, often seen in beer and coffee products, is being applied to the cola category and creates the frothy, foamy, smooth texture unique to Nitro Pepsi. It does not look and taste like a traditional cola or soda, and in fact, it’s best consumed differently as well.” –PepsiCo, as quoted by BeverageDaily.com in an article, “Nitro Pepsi launches in the US: ‘We’re reimagining the cola category!’

“While I have been exiled from Russia since 2000 due to my opposition to Putin, I have remained proud of the Stolichnaya brand. Today, we have made the decision to rebrand entirely as the name no longer represents our organization. More than anything, I wish for ‘Stoli’ to represent peace in Europe and solidarity with Ukraine.” –Yuri Shefler, founder of Stoli Group, in an article from Beverage Industry magazine, “Stoli Group announces major rebrand”

“Mississippi joins a growing group of states that have passed legislation to encourage the rapid growth of advanced plastics recycling. Republicans and Democrats alike are recognizing the multiple benefits advanced recycling can bring to their states: more plastics recycled, new manufacturing jobs, and reduced dependence on fossil raw materials. We’re delighted to see growing bipartisan action helping to create a circular economy for plastics.” –Joshua Baca, Vice President of Plastics at the American Chemistry Council (ACC), in a press release from the association, “Mississippi Passes Law to Support Advanced Recycling, Job Growth, and Sustainability”

“Our shape-shifting pasta technology has the potential to transform the manufacturing, transportation and storage process. The potential of this technology is immense, and I look forward to seeing it outside of the lab ‘wowing’ consumers and providing a positive impact to consumers and businesses.” –Professor Eran Sharon from the Hebrew University Racah Institute of Physics, Faculty of Science, in an article from FoodNavigator.com, “Flat-pack fusilli? ‘Shape-shifting’ pasta developed to reduce packaging”

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BY THE NUMBERS

2,000 tons

The amount of plastic a coalition of 20 leading pet food brands together with rePurpose Global is removing from nature each year, which is the equivalent of 111 million plastic bottles or 1 billion plastic bags in weight

Nestlé SA’s ranking in Consumer Goods Technology’s Top 100 Consumer Goods Companies of 2021, with a net revenue of $95.159 billion and a YoY change of 3.2% versus 2020

739 kg

The amount of mixed waste that will be redirected from landfills and turned into UBQ bio-based thermoplastic by UBQ Materials for use by PepsiCo in Latin America to create plastic pallets for two of its DCs

The number of bottle designs in total produced by The Coca-Cola company to celebrate Walt Disney World’s 50th anniversary

4/20/22 05:29

16 PW MAY2022

FIRST PERSON

Mars Champions Women in Packaging Mars, Inc. Global Vice President of Packaging Sustainability Allison Lin shares her journey in the packaging industry, providing advice to other women seeking a career in the field, and shares Mars’s efforts to enhance inclusiveness in the workforce. Packaging World:

What are your core responsibilities as Global Vice President of Packaging Sustainability at Mars, Inc.?

Allison Lin: In my role at Mars, I lead the global cross-segment strategy to improve the sustainability of Mars’s product packaging. We’ve set an ambitious, science-based target to design all of our products for a circular economy. This includes eliminating unnecessary packaging, removing difficult-to-recycle materials such as PVC, and using recycled content wherever possible. We’re also working in partnerships with governments, NGOs, suppliers, packaging developers, and even competitors to drive the systems change necessary to make a circular economy truly possible, including both necessary redesigns as well as infrastructure improvements.

What was your career path to get you to where you are today? Did you have a mentor? I originally interned on Wall Street at Merrill Lynch and quickly realized that wasn’t the right career path for me. Luckily, Procter & Gamble was recruiting on campus, and I entered the world of packaging—which I knew nothing about at the time except as a consumer. I was offered the opportunity to lead their global recycled and bio-based plastics sourcing strategy, and I fell in love with the field of packaging sustainability. I eventually went to Starbucks, where I got to experience the fiber side of the packaging business as well, and Coca-Cola, where I led the World Without Waste strategy for Closures, Labels, and Films. I recently spent two years on the converter side of the business to get a different perspective leading corporate sustainability at Westfall-Technik before coming back to the brand owner side at Mars. I’ve been extremely fortunate to have many mentors along the way, as well as role models and male allies.

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What advice would you give young women looking to get into packaging? Be the change that you want to see. Sustainability is attracting more diverse talent into the packaging space, and young, diverse talent can bring some unique perspectives to this industry. You will meet people who have been working on packaging for 25-plus years, but you can still bring a unique perspective to improve the industry. Definitely find a mentor and attend conferences to build your network. How can companies become more inclusive? Are there any special programs at Mars that that focus on diversity and inclusion? I’ve been lucky that the companies I’ve worked at have been pretty diverse. However, the supply base is definitely not the same. Brand owners take the perspective that our workforce needs to be representative of the consumer base we serve, and packaging suppliers should do the same. Inclusive recruiting is only the first step. Creating an environment where diverse talent can thrive, with representation across all levels and functions of the company, is important to retain talent. Companies should take steps to uncover unconscious bias and promote purposefully inclusive environments. Mars is working to foster a more inclusive workplace across numerous intersections. We now have more than 50 Associate Resource Groups (ARGs), which we’re leveraging to create spaces and communities for associates of every race, ethnicity, culture, and background to freely and safely engage and express themselves and act as an ally. We’re also committed to creating opportunities for women to reach their full potential. We’ve already achieved equal pay for our associates and are expanding childcare benefits and flexible hybrid working; challenging stereotypes and bias in our advertising; and investing $1 billion in our diverse supplier program, $500 million of which is women-led. Last year, we also launched a global listening study called #HereToBeHeard to amplify the voices of more than 10,000 women across various intersections—including race, age, sexuality, religion, disability, and more. Mars is leveraging insights from this meaningful dialogue to design and implement new policies and actions to further inclusion. —Anne Marie Mohan

Visit pmmi.org/ppwln to join the Packaging & Processing Women’s Leadership Network to receive information on upcoming events, access professional development resources and learn about ways to get involved.

4/19/22 12:39 PM

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4/19/22 12:21 PM

18 PW MAY2022

THE LEGAL SIDE

By Eric F. Greenberg, Attorney-at-law

A Healthy Try at Simplifying Food Labels? At the risk of overdramatizing, the food label is a continuing cauldron of controversy. This month we’ll take a close look at one ongoing controversy, though there are plenty to choose from. For example, in future columns, we might examine how best to name non-meat alternatives to meat; lawsuits over allegedly false label statements and “slack fill”; FDA’s temporary allowance of labeling flexibility for edible oils (due to both shortages and COVID); and the “food as medicine” movement. The topic we examine this month is the effort of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to develop a graphic symbol that packagers could voluntarily add to food labels to denote, when a food is “healthy.” Individual foods are complex, and so are their labels. It has long been a goal of policymakers and consumer advocates and even some food companies to try to distill all that complexity down into a single, simple message about a food’s goodness or less goodness. Easy? Goodness no. A typical food label contains required elements like its list of ingredients and Nutrition Facts, plus, often, voluntary statements about nutrients in the food, or its health effects or effects on the structure or function of the body, among many other possible statements. While it might be easy for us all to agree that fiber and protein and vitamins and minerals in food are good for us, while saturated fat, sodium, and cholesterol aren’t, it’s much harder to agree on how to create a single thumbs-up or thumbs-down in a way that’s fair to all foods. FDA announced the start of the current effort in 2019. Most recently, at the end of this past March, it announced that it plans to conduct a survey and an experimental study to gauge consumer responses to front-of-pack symbols that would convey that a food is “healthy.” Along the way, it has collected information on over 20 different graphic symbol programs being used by individual manufacturers, retailers, organizations, or governments around the world. They feature a variety of color-coded data sets with various words, letters, and numbers. Many of them incorporate optimistic-looking check marks. Interestingly, FDA already has in place a regulation that defines “healthy” and related terms like “healthful” and “health.” That regulation says those terms are an implied nutrient content claim, because they imply something about the food’s contents—but what, exactly? Well, the regulation, 21 CFR 101.65(d)(2), tries to put its finger on that, but reveals the trickiness of the endeavor. It says that “healthy” means the food “is useful in creating a diet that is consistent with dietary recommendations,” then lists criteria including food types, levels of fat, saturated fat and cholesterol, and specified levels of sodium that the food must meet in order to qualify, plus one or two other specifications. By the time you finish reading the thing you’ll be begging someone to create a simple graphic symbol.

That regulation’s very complexity should have been a clue that this effort wouldn’t be easy. An examination of some of the public comments submitted on this topic last year reveal even more complexity. For example, the Consumer Federation of America doesn’t like that FDA restricted its research to an icon for “healthy,” and would rather it would “broaden its research task to include traffic light, nutrition scoring, warning symbol, and other [front-of-pack] label standards.” They say that “may better assist consumers to make healthy choices and better motivate product manufacturers to make healthier foods.” Similar themes are sounded by the Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI), another consumer advocacy group, which petitioned FDA to develop some kind of “simple, interpretive” front-of-pack nutrition labeling system way back in 2006. CSPI laments that FDA overlooked that “The existing scientific literature suggests that a voluntary ‘healthy’ symbol would not be as effective as other [front-of-pack nutrition labeling] systems at improving consumers’ food choices and diet quality.” Pointing to the experiences of other countries who have used “endorsement logos that appear only on the healthiest packaged foods….; traffic light labels, star ratings, and genuine daily amount… labels that appear on all foods; and warning signs that appear only on products with high levels of calories or unhealthful nutrients,” they note that European office of the World Health Organization cautions “that endorsement logos alone can have unintended adverse effects and advises that countries adopt…systems that provide evaluations of product unhealthfulness, as opposed to systems that provide only positive judgments.” One perspective that drives home the importance of avoiding oversimplification is that of the American Beverage Association, which represents companies that make or distribute soft drinks but also bottled water and water beverages, ready-to-drink coffee and tea, sports and energy drinks, juices, and fruit drinks. That group likes the idea of FDA trying to help consumers “make informed dietary choices and construct healthful diets.” But they’d want FDA to revise its definition of what constitutes a “healthy” food first, then move toward finding an appropriate symbol. They say they want any “healthy” symbol to “enhance consumers’ understanding of the nutritional profile” of the food or beverage, and avoid “discriminating unjustifiably between food and beverage categories,” as well as “reinforce portion balance and a ‘whole diet’ approach” and promote hydration. FDA will continue to examine this idea, with lively input from industry and consumer representatives alike, but it’s already clear that if you’re trying to summarize complex information in a way that’s useful to consumers while also fair to food packagers, such a seemingly simple idea isn’t simple at all. PW

Eric Greenberg can be reached at greenberg@efg-law.com. Or visit his firm’s website at www.ericfgreenbergpc.com. INFORMATIONAL ONLY, NOT LEGAL ADVICE.

LegalSide_0522.indd 18

4/21/22 10:17 AM

THE BIG PICTURE

By Sterling Anthony, CPP, Contributing Editor

Reducing Risk for Slack-fill Packaging Lawsuits: Part One By necessity, then, the associated lawsuits allege that there is In recent years, there has been a parade slack-fill that does not meet any of the aforementioned exceptions. of lawsuits against various brand owners That said, federal regulations do not provide individual consumers about the amount of slack-fill in their packaging. The majority of the means to sue. That has to be done on the state level, under the defendants have been from the food industry, although other consumer-protection laws that are modeled after federal regulations. categories are not exempt. So far, the lawsuits have been concentrated in a few states. Those The federal regulatory framework associated with slack-fill states include California and New York, what with their history of packaging is as follows: the Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FDCA) being at the vanguard of various societal trends. It’s conceivable, grants regulatory powers to the Food & Drug Administration (FDA); therefore, that other states will pass consumer protection laws that FDA regulations are published in the Code of Federal Regulations Title enable slack-fill lawsuits. An individual state can bring suit through its 21 (21CFR); and, 21CFR §100.100 defines slack-fill as, “the difference attorney general, for example. However, an individual consumer has between the actual capacity of the container and the volume of to be part of a class-action suit. product contained therein.” The food-specific federal regulations do not necessarily exempt According to the FDCA, a food is misbranded if its container is suits against other product categories. That’s because such suits can “made, formed, or filled” misleadingly. Code of Federal Regulations be brought under the more general federal 21CFR §100.100 builds on the “filled” prohibition against misbranding, under requirement, namely, “A container that In theory, at least, any brand which nonfunctional slack-fill falls. In does not allow the consumer to fully owner can be slapped with theory, at least, any brand owner can be view its contents shall be considered to slapped with a lawsuit if its packaging is be filled as to be misleading if it contains a lawsuit if its packaging is and contains slack-fill alleged to be nonfunctional slack-fill.” opaque and contains slack-fill opaque nonfunctional. Slack-fill is not inherently bad, however. alleged to be nonfunctional. Such lawsuits are not decided solely By mentioning nonfunctional slack-fill, on whether the slack-fill is determined 21CFR §100.100 implies the existence of to be nonfunctional, though. Even under that circumstance, there is functional slack-fill, which does not constitute misbranding. The a standard to be satisfied. It must be shown that the nonfunctional Section goes beyond implying and enumerates six exceptions. slack-fill would be misleading to a reasonable consumer, whose (1) T he slack-fill is needed for product protection. Example: experience and expectations are relevant to the subject product fragility (or other characteristics) of the product renders it category. vulnerable to damage if filled more compactly. How a brand owner responds to a lawsuit is the business of its (2) T he slack-fill is the result of machinery requirements. Example: legal department or its outside counsel. Nonetheless, the strategy will the filling machine is engineered and calibrated for a given involve input from company employees who have packaging-related package size, at a given contents volume. titles and duties. It’s an unavoidable reliance due to those employees’ (3) T he slack-fill is the result of unavoidable product settling. involvement in the decisions that led to the at-issue packaging. Example: vibrations encountered throughout the supply chain, Whatever the collaboration between legal and packaging, it qualifies and even at the filling station, reduce the fill line. as reactive. (4) T he slack-fill allows the package to perform a specific function. Consideration should be given to a proactive mindset. In it, Example: the package plays a role in the food’s preparation or the brand owner’s exposure to slack-fill lawsuits is analyzed for consumption, as does a single-serving cereal bowl. opportunities to minimize it. It’s a worthwhile endeavor for a number (5) T he slack-fill is due to a reusable package. Example: the of reasons. One is that the brand owner’s integrity is under attack, package is commemorative, promotional, or otherwise since its practices are being portrayed as misleading and deceptive. intended for post-consumption reuse. Another is that the resolution of a lawsuit brought in one state (6) T he slack-fill is needed for functions that the package could does not automatically shield the brand owner from one brought not fulfill were it of a greater fill level or of a smaller size. in another state. One more is that, given the reach of various social Examples: Informational requirements for labels, ergonomic media platforms, anything negative carries the threat of going viral. considerations for manual handling, anti-pilferage features for Next month’s column will discuss how to make a slack-fill strategy small valuables, and tamper-evident features, require a given a component of packaging management. PW package size and fill level.

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4/20/22 05:40

20 PW MAY2022

SUSTAINABLE PACKAGING

By Dan Felton, Executive Director for AMERIPEN

New Recycled Content Mandates Doomed To Fail beyond that of other end markets, analysts say that “PET reclamation Using mandates to boost demand for capacity in the U.S. would, at a minimum, need to increase by 50% post-consumer recycled (PCR) content from current reprocessing capacity to meet CPG company brand in packaging is a compelling argument for lawmakers. Increasing commitments for their PET packaging.” recycled content is beneficial not only for our environment, but also In 2020, brands and retailers participating in the Ellen MacArthur for our industry. However, a closer look at recent legislative activities Foundation Global Commitment had achieved 2% of their goals toward reveals that lawmakers are not considering the full implications of 20% PCR content by 2025. Rates are expected to accelerate in the next these requirements across the packaging value chain and the other few years, but their data indicate that increasing recycled content in industries that compete for demand. packaging will require more change than just increasing demand. Over the past two years, at least 20 bills in 10 states plus two In evaluating end markets for PCR resins for our supply-demand federal bills related to recycled content have been introduced. In study, we also learned that packaging made up less than 50% of total January 2022, New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy signed into law sales; demand typically goes to products that have lower quality some of the most aggressive PCR requirements in the country for expectations. Because packaging has some of the highest quality rigid plastic containers, glass containers, paper and plastic carryout requirements for reuse, the best place for PCR content may not always bags, and more. We saw four more PCR mandate bills introduced in be in closed-loop processes. It is possible that redirecting recycled Washington state this year after the law enacted last year that made content to other products that require less processing can yield a it the second state requiring recycled content in plastic beverage greater environmental impact than creating mandates for packaging. containers. That new law also covered plastic trash bags and The APR Demand Champions program (see pwgo.to/7542) is one household and personal care products. Meanwhile, the Northeast example of how companies are committing Recycling Council (NERC) has proposed Over the past two years, at least to increase PCR content across their model legislation for increased PCR product portfolios, not just within their minimums on plastics and glass that may 20 bills in 10 states plus two packaging. This affords them the flexibility influence future legislation. federal bills related to recycled to use PCR resins in lower-quality products. Many of the bills currently under In examining the New Jersey law, the consideration lack the necessary detail to content have been introduced. Glass Packaging Institute (GPI) argues make them effective. For example, several that the law borrows language from California law regarding glass create mandates for plastic beverage containers, which can be made containers made in the state. GPI points out that California’s law is from PET, polypropylene, or polystyrene; each of those resins has its tied to that state’s bottle bill, which ensures quality, single-stream own capacity for recycling. And while some of these PCR measures glass collection. It’s important to note that New Jersey does not have a do offer some level of flexibility—such as the New Jersey law that bottle bill, and their new law lacks changes to reduce contamination authorizes the state department of environmental protection to and enhance the quality of recyclables. GPI contends that the law will review and amend the PCR content requirements based on market not improve glass recycling in the state. conditions—lawmakers also need strategies to address supply issues, Additionally, lawmakers need to understand that the market needs reduce contamination, and increase recycling capacity if these more recyclers that can manufacture PCR resins to meet U.S. Food mandates are to be successful. Without such plans, the measures will and Drug Administration (FDA) regulations for food-contact packaging. be doomed to fail. Strict regulations require “letters of no objection” from the FDA When AMERIPEN commissioned a 2020 study to examine corporate certifying that recyclers have been evaluated to ensure their recycled goals for recycled content against supply and domestic capacity (see content is safe for direct food contact. Due to a significant backlog in pwgo.to/7378), researchers discovered that, across all plastic resin processing these letters, the opportunity to increase capacity for foodtypes except high-density polyethylene, demand in the U.S. actually contact recycled content is diminished. exceeds the domestic supply and capacity. Looking specifically at Although mandates can help to stimulate demand for PCR content, PET clearly demonstrates the supply shortfalls: Of more than 6.3 more industry collaboration is needed to address challenges with billion pounds of PET bottles sold in the U.S. in 2018, only 1.8 billion supply, capacity, and quality for them to be successful. AMERIPEN pounds of PET bottles and 0.1 billion pounds of thermoforms were continues to work closely with stakeholders to increase investment and collected for recycling. And because recycled content from PET bottles educate policymakers and the public on the value of packaging. PW and thermoforms requires specific quality requirements above and AMERIPEN represents the U.S. packaging value chain by providing policymakers with fact-based, material-neutral, scientific information. Contact Dan Felton at danf@ameripen.org.

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4/20/22 05:39

THE INDUSTRYÕS DEFINING EVENT RETURNS!

PACK EXPO International is back in Chicago, giving you the unmissable opportunity to explore technology, materials and reinforce industry connections. Discover innovative solutions for packaging and processing, automation, sustainability, e-commerce and more at the most comprehensive packaging and processing event in the world in 2022!

ENGAGE WITH 2,000+ LEADING SUPPLIERS 40+ VERTICAL INDUSTRIES REPRESENTED FREE EDUCATIONAL SESSIONS 7 PAVILIONS including 3 new hotspots:

October 23-26, 2022 Chicago, Illinois, USA 4/19/22 12:22 PM

Materials, Containers & Consumables The following companies are leading suppliers of additives, coatings & inks, adhesives/tape, cartons and boxes, multipacks/ handles/carriers, and protective/transport packaging. To see all product categories, please visit Packworld.com/leaders. Additives, coAtings & inks

Adhesives/tApe

Design Sustainable Packaging with Water-Based Barrier Coatings

Packaging that Fits Your Purpose

Let Michelman’s coatings applications experts solve your MVTR, OTR, moisture barrier, and other film & paper package performance challenges. We have 70+ years of experience developing water-based solutions for recyclable & compostable packaging.

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ADHESIVES/TAPE

Adhesives/tApe

ShurSEAL® Packaging Solutions from Shurtape Technologies, LLC

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Cartons and boxes

Reynco 56-480 adheres to most substrates, is excellent for high-speed case and carton sealing applications, and is field-tested. Protein packaging customers receive superior adhesion and machining on different types of case formers and sealers.

Multipacks/handles/carriers

Packaging Automation, Solved

All-in-one packaging & shipping for 2-component chemical products Inspired by consumers & the ever-evolving world, we create innovative, fiber-based packaging solutions designed with the future of the planet in mind. Custom machinery systems bring sustainable solutions to life, enhance automation & packaging efficiency.

Our dual-jug package system is perfect for 2-part chemical systems like coatings, epoxy, adhesives, primers and lubricants. The ProPail eliminates the need for boxes or separate packaging by placing everything needed for application in one bucket.

Protective/transPort Packaging

We help people make a material difference every day.

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Tray, Clamshell & Blister Packaging Equipment

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YOU HAVE TO SEE IT, EXPLORE IT, EXPERIENCE IT. REGISTER TODAY! Interested in learning about the latest developments in materials, containers, and consumables, or tray, clamshell, and blister packaging equipment? Don’t miss PACK EXPO International 2022 to see, explore, and experience the newest innovations in these packaging categories as well as an abundance of other packaging and processing equipment, materials, and business drivers. Visit packexpointernational.com for more information, and to register today.

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Future leaders IN PACKAGING SC

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These market-leading companies participating in Packaging World’s 2022 Leaders in Packaging Program are named sponsors of PW’s Future Leaders in Packaging scholarship. This year’s recipient is Alexandria Technical & Community College, Mechatronics program. We appreciate the support of all participants on behalf of packaging education.

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SPECIAL REPORT

Digital Continues to Transform Printing and Finishing With digital’s share of the printed label and packaging market showing impressive gains, a number of new players are entering the game—especially in the direct-to-shape space. WHAT YOU’LL LEARN

Delivering on short-run requests

New can coatings

By Pat Reynolds, Contributing Editor Editor’s note: Digital printing of labels and packaging continues to come on strong. According to a Smithers report (pwgo.to/7538) issued late last year, digital’s share of the printed label and packaging market will have increased from 4.4% by value in 2020 ($18.5 billion) to 7.2% ($35.9 billion) in 2026. The majority of digital output last year was in labels. But Smithers expects the fastest growth heading into 2026 to be in corrugated and folding cartons. Also showing remarkable signs of growth built on some very innovative technologies are digital finishing and direct-to-shape digital printing. This report begins with direct-toshape printing. “In for a penny, in for a pound”—it’s an old saying being put to the test by Canadian can printer Solucan. In 2019 the firm was the first to fully capitalize on an innovative direct-to-shape Cyclone digital can printing technology from Tonejet for 12-oz aluminum cans. (For a detailed look at this installation, visit pwgo.to/7539). Just two years later, the firm ordered up a second complete can handling and printing line, but this time with a Cyclone C4+ that deploys a longer variant of Tonejet’s printhead to permit the printing of 16-oz cans. The C4+ also has an upgraded user interface, simplified ink refills, and active adaptable can handling to permit rapid changeover between variations in can sizes. Few are more surprised by the arrival of this second digital can printing system than Solucan President and co-founder Sebastien Baril. “The idea was to start with a line capable of printing 12-oz cans and then replace it once Tonejet had developed a printhead capable of doing 16-oz cans,” says Baril. “We figured we’d print as many as 500,000 12-oz cans while we waited for the longer printhead to be available. But demand for the 12-oz cans is so keen that we wound up printing more than six million cans with the original system. It soon became clear that we needed to add a second line rather than swapping out one printer for another.”

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Among Solucan’s happy customers in the craft brew segment is Whitehead Brewing, whose 16-oz can is shown here. Craft brewers, cideries, and others who have a hard time meeting the minimum-order quantities typical in the conventional can supply world have been quick to take advantage of Solucan’s digital printing prowess. Like all digital printing technologies, Tonejet’s digital system does away with printing plates, make-ready, ink changes, and other setup costs. Every image to be printed on a container can be different than the one before it because jobs are uploaded with the Cyclone digital job manager. According to Tonejet Sales Manager Marvin Foreman, Tonejet digital printing systems deploy electrostatic drop-on-demand printing technology. “It combines a novel printhead architecture with proprietary ink formulations,” says Foreman. “We’ve got a charged pigment particle suspended in a carrier fluid. The pigment is jetted from ejector tips and during that process the carrier fluid evaporates, so that all we’re left with on the substrate is pigment. We then bind the pigment to the substrate with an overprint varnish, which is the same overprint varnish used widely in the aluminum can-making business.” This electrostatic drop-on-demand printing technology delivers a 600-dpi greyscale CMYK resolution at a speed of 60 cans/min. When asked for more detail on the ejector tips, Foreman answers this way. “It’s a four-color CMYK process, so there’s one print head for each color. Picture a series of hair combs mounted in a print head. The pigment is ejected from the tips of the combs’ ‘teeth,’ which number 150 or so in each print head. We apply a pulse voltage that governs how long each ejector will fire, and that’s how the pigment, suspended in its carrier fluid, is jetted onto the substrate. But the carrier fluid evaporates in fractions of a second, which is why the only thing left on the substrate is the pigment.”

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At Hart Print, cans enter the 16-station rotary printing system from above (left). One example of the vivid printing Hart is able to produce is shown above. A good example of the 16-oz cans Solucan is printing on the new Cyclone C4+ is the Whitehead Brewing can shown on the opposite page. Though the C4+ can be used to print either 12- or 16-oz cans, Baril says it’s likely that the C4+ will be dedicated to 16-oz cans because that size in Canada, at least in the beer market, is far more popular than 12-oz. Flip to page 33 for a look at a Solucan customer who is using digital can printing in a product category that isn’t beer, cider, or liquid at all.

Elsewhere in Canada While Solucan hitched its wagon to U.K. technology—Tonejet is a subsidiary of the U.K.’s TTP, which has a 30-year history of inkjet technology development for some of the world’s leading OEMs—Canada’s Hart Print looked to Germany and Hinterkopf for its direct-to-shape digital printers. “Among other things, we like being able to print on the neck of the can,” says Co-Chief Executive Officer, Co-Founder Stephanie Hart. “We also like being able to print across can size formats. When we first came across Hinterkopf it appeared that they were more focused on aerosol cans used in the cosmetics space. So we went to Germany and asked about printing beverage cans and the answer was yes. From that point on we felt Hinterkopf was the technology for us. As a second-generation firm, they kind of had a history that made us want to bet on them. And it’s paid off.” Be sure to read about Hart Print’s rather remarkable backstory—not to mention the implications of the firm’s recent acquisition by Ardagh Metal Packaging—on page 7. The Hinterkopf Model D240.2 is a precision rotary indexing machine equipped with 16 double-mandrel stations. Six of these are print stations, including four for typical CMYK plus a white station and a varnish station. Each of these print stations includes its own UV cure. At the

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end is a camera inspection system that will detect and kick out any can that’s out of spec. So it’s built-in quality control. Just before can discharge is a final UV curing station. Then cans are palletized on a system from Ska Fabricating. That firm also provided the upstream depalletizer and can handling conveyors that gently single-file the cans from a mass flow and feed them into the printer. Some of the 16 stations on the printer are dedicated to cleaning the can surface, which typically has on it some of the lubricants that are an essential part of the necking-in process. “I can’t get too specific about this part of the Hinterkopf system, though I will acknowledge that cleaning and preparing the can surface is a special challenge to anyone thinking about entering this space,” says Paradis. “You don’t just buy a printer and start sending cans through it.” Special UV-curable inks from Hinterkopf and Tritron are used, while inkjet print heads specified by Hinterkopf are from an unnamed Japanese supplier. “The print head part of this direct-to-shape digital printing space is being constantly explored and re-evaluated,” says Co-CEO and CoFounder JP Paradise. “Because that’s what determines the speed at which you are able to operate. We run at 90 to 94 cans per minute on both our printers. We run both sleek and standard formats. The versatility of the Hinterkopf printer is another one of its great strengths. On the same mandrel we can print either a 12-oz standard, a 12-oz sleek, 8.4oz sleek, or a 16-oz can. We’re not yet doing a crowler due to its slightly bigger diameter, but we do plan to bring in 19.2-oz cans at some point. It’s a market we’d really like to get into because of the size of the canvas you have to work with. You can do some really cool art.” When asked about print resolution, Paradis says it depends a good deal on what the customer wants. “The Hinterkopf has numerous settings. In fact, you can run up to 1200 dpi. But keep in mind that print

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resolution and speed are intertwined. We find that our sweet spot in terms of what the customers want is 700 dpi.” One last observation about Hart Print is that it uses double-wall corrugated sheets plus strapping rather than plastic stretch wrap on pallets full of printed cans. An operator pulls two v-shaped sheets from a stack and envelops a filled pallet with them before using a semi-automatic strapping system to cinch up the load into a nice, tight unit. Says Paradis, “It would be slightly hypocritical of us to talk so much about producing aluminum cans that are eminently recyclable due to their lack of paper or plastic label components and then ship pallets that are encased in plastic film.” Customers can even return the sheets to Hart for re-use, he notes.

On to corrugated

Eschewing plastic film as a means of securing pallet loads of printed cans, Hart uses double-wall corrugated and strapping instead.

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Operating out of 17 locations and headquartered in Montgomeryville, Penn., The Royal Group (TRG) is among the largest independently owned corrugated providers in the country. Last year management added digital printing capabilities to its offerings by installing a Delta SPC 130 singlepass sheet-fed corrugated press from Koenig & Bauer Durst. “We have been evaluating the digital technology platforms for a while as we decided on when the point was going to be that we really wanted to jump in with both feet,” explains TRG President Kevin Miller. “As we evaluated what we wanted in a digital technology platform, we knew we needed high-speed automation. We also wanted a sustainable solution. And we needed a company that was not only focused on a cur-

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rent platform but was equally mindful about continuously improving upon that platform in the future.” The Delta SPC 130 FlexLine Automatic combines a well-engineered mechanical design with easily accessible sub-assemblies and selected components to guarantee durable quality, high performance, and reliability, says Koenig & Bauer Durst. It can manage small formats from 500 x 600 mm to very large formats with maximum dimensions of 1,300 x 2,100 (optionally 1,300 x 2,800 mm), and it prints a maximum sheet thickness of 12 mm with water-based, food-safe inks. The DIMATIX Samba® G5L ink jet print heads from FUJIFILM are the latest generation in the Samba printhead family, and inks are dried by means of infrared and thermal drying sections. The Delta SPC130 FlexLine machine includes feeder, six-color single-pass printing, cooling section, and stacker. Miller emphasizes that prior to selecting a press,

key customers were interviewed about what they would be looking for in digital printing technology. “One thing that came back loud and clear,” he says, “is that we needed to go with aqueous ink technology. Sustainability is increasingly important in our industry, and we are very much committed to it. So this press matched up nicely with our philosophy. Not to mention that it lets us offer the food-grade-certified packaging our customers are looking for.”

All Your Package Printing Answers in One Place The PACKage Printing Pavilion returns as a highlighted feature in the South Building at PACK EXPO International 2022, to be held October 23-26. This pavilion will shine a spotlight on digital’s advantages for short-run, ondemand, cost-effective, variable data, and personalized packaging as well as labeling, coding and marking solutions.

If you’re dealing with any of the following, this is a spot for you to visit: • SKU proliferation • Micro-marketing efforts • Sustainability • Traceability As consumers look for smarter packaging options, advancements in digital printing are more critical than ever, making this pavilion a must-see for all show attendees. Visit www.packexpointernational.com to learn more and register to attend.

October 23-26, 2022 ■ Chicago, Illinois, USA

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Shown here is the Printing Unit of the Delta SPC-130 recently installed at The Royal Group.

tional printing technologies like offset or flexo make sense due to the number of sheets being printed, Miller says it’s roughly 20,000 sheets. But that can vary widely based on the nature of the art, sheet size, customer goals, and plenty of other variables. “The bottom line,” he adds, “is that we’re now in a position to fit our customer to the right print medium no matter what their needs may be. The digital press was the last major piece to that puzzle, and we are extremely happy to have it.”

Digital transforms a business

The press also had to deliver on automation, output, and print quality. Check, check, and check, says Miller. “We can crank out 15 to 20 thousand sheets a day with amazing print quality,” he adds. Because there are no printing plates to worry about, smooth workflow is another deliverable that the team at TRG greatly appreciates. “It lets us give the customer more time to do what they want to do on the front end of a project,” says Jude Cohen, Vice President TRG Retail. “They can make tweaks basically on the fly. There’s no conventional printing method that would allow us to do that.” When asked if there is any kind of cutoff number where conven-

Headquartered in Kent, Wash., The BoxMaker is a producer of custom corrugated cases, full-color packaging, and retail displays. With facilities in eight locations, its newest is in Lowell, Ark. While the Kent facility has two Euclid C digital cutting and creasing systems from Highcon, the Lowell plant has a Highcon Beam 2C. Also installed in 2021 along with the Beam 2C was a PageWide C500 digital press from HP. A key reason for opening the Lowell facility and for equipping it with cutting edge equipment for digital printing and finishing of corrugated packaging was a thing called Fantastapack. Launched by The BoxMaker in 2015 as one of the first web-to-pack online retailers of custom packaging, it’s an online ordering system designed for small businesses, entrepreneurs, or anyone else who needs to order packaging without worrying about minimum orders. “If someone needs 10 boxes because that’s all they think they’ll sell in a month, we’re quite happy to take that kind of order,” says Michael Betker, Director of Technology at The BoxMaker. “It works because we’ve

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automated everything so that once a customer enters their information and uploads an art file, it pretty much goes straight to the press. Now that we have the Lowell operation running, we can serve the Eastern part of the country much more efficiently than if we were shipping only from the state of Washington.” Highcon’s original platform was the Euclid family of digital cutting

The Beam 2C is a digital system that creases and then uses high-powered lasers to process up to 4,000 sheets/hr.

and creasing systems. With the more recent introduction of the Beam family, more powerful lasers permit speeds to 4,000 sheets/hr, which is two to three times faster than the Euclid systems. The Beam platform is also said to be more robust, and while the Euclid is suitable for B-flute corrugated board, the Beam 2C operating at The BoxMaker can handle C-flute or double-wall E-flute. The key to both the Euclid and the newer Beam families of Highcon technology is DART: Digital Adhesive Rule Technology. Digital creasing data is uploaded from a DXF file to the Beam system. Proprietary software translates the data and sends it to a special dispensing unit that contains an unnamed polymer. This polymer is released onto a PET jacket mounted on a hard metal upper cylinder. In essence, the dispensing unit extrudes onto the PET jacket the rules needed to make the carton creases. The pattern it extrudes is dictated by the digital data uploaded from the DXF file. As soon as the polymer rules are laid down, they’re hardened by exposure to UV light. Directly beneath the upper cylinder and its PET jacket is a lower cylinder that has a soft, siliconelike blanket mounted on it. All that remains is to send printed, corrugated sheet through the two cylinders. As the upper cylinder with its UV-hardened rules presses into the soft surface of the lower cylinder, the corrugated sheet in between is creased by the rules. Once the required number of sheets has been creased, the PET jacket is removed from the upper cylinder and a fresh one takes its place so that a completely different job can be downloaded. As for cutting individual cases from the sheet, it’s done within the

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Beam system immediately after creasing. An array of high-powered CO2 lasers combine with scanners and advanced optics to perform whatever cutting design was spelled out digitally in the uploaded file. Corrugated waste is then stripped away and the finished cases—digitally printed, digitally creased, and digitally cut—are discharged and ready for shipment to the customer. With a business transformation focused on short runs and the ad-

92 PROCESSING AND PACKAGING SOLUTIONS • • • • • • • •

dition of faster equipment, The BoxMaker also had to evaluate how to efficiently drive the PageWide C500 and the Highcon Beam 2C. With an increase in orders supported by shorter runs, an automated workflow solution with fewer manual tasks was clearly going to be needed. The workflow solution they selected is a sophisticated API-driven planning and imposition software application called tilia Phoenix from Tilia Labs. It uses Artificial Intelligence to optimize the creation of print-ready layouts across potentially millions of possibilities. Tilia Phoenix streamlines planning and layout creation guided by custom rules, ease of mark creation, and the ability to gang jobs based on materials, customer requirements, due dates, and more. So rather than asking the human brain to think its way through all these combinations and options to plan, batch, and gang digital print orders as efficiently as possible, tilia Phoenix leverages award-winning AI algorithms to generate the press-ready files automatically.

Food processing systems On-machine and process area seasoning application Conveying and product handling Multihead/combination scale weighing and ﬁlling Snack bagmaking and case packing Metal detection and x-ray Check weighing and seal checking Controls and information systems

See previous Packaging World coverage of tilia Phoenix.

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What’s notable about the solutions now being developed by Tilia Labs and The BoxMaker is that they’re looking at ways of optimizing not only print and material cost but also finishing costs. “Now the algorithm is more intelligent than ever as it evaluates all the finishing routes that a converter can choose and how that choice will ultimately affect cost,” says Tyler Thompson, Solutions Director at Tilia Labs. “Imposition software in the past didn’t understand the full workflow from print production to finished goods. In the digital world, with increased growth in shorter and customized runs, understanding the entire converting process matters more than ever.”

One more look at recent advances in digital printing brings us to I.B.E., S.r.l., a label converter in Verderio, Italy, that is among the first to install the Master DM5 from Bobst. This hybrid system features both flexo and UV-cured digital ink-jet technologies. But that’s not all. The “All-in-One, All-Inline” system also offers priming, lamination, hot- or cold-foil embellishment, and rotary die cutting. This single-source, all-Bobst aspect of the DM5 is a distinguishing characteristic, notes Bobst. “For us the biggest advantage of the DM5 is that it is very competitive on the medium runs from 2,000 to 8,000 meters, which happen to be the range most requested by our customers,” says I.B.E. CEO Roberto Spreafico. “Second is flexibility—you can produce any kind of job required by the market, from the most complex to the simplest label, in a single pass thanks

LOOKING BACK. PRESSING FORWARD. ALWAYS INNOVATING.

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The Master DM5 not only features both flexo and digital ink jet printing, it also offers priming, lamination, hot- or cold-foil embellishment, and rotary die cutting. Inset right is an illustration showing the key components of the Bobst cluster print head concept.

DigitalPrinting_SpecRpt_0522.indd 31

to the versatility of the press and the excellent integration between digital and analog printing technologies. “The label sector has always been accustomed to short time-to-market demands, maybe because the label is one of the last things you put on the packaging. Speed is therefore key to success in this market. We need fast turnaround capabilities to meet these expectations. Sometimes we deliver labels in just two or three days, and this is where digital technology and automation play a huge role.” While Bobst is firmly established as a global leader in analog printing technologies, it’s something of a newcomer where digital technology is concerned. It dipped its toes in the digital waters in 2017 by way of a joint venture called Mouvent. Encouraged by the recent and ongoing growth of digital printing in the packaging space, it made Mouvent part of the Bobst family in July of 2021. The essence of Mouvent technology is the cluster. It’s a compact, robust, and scalable solution that integrates four fujisamba printheads, the mechanics for head alignment, the ink management,

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and the software steering each printhead. This results in a printing speed of up to 100 meters/min at the maximum native resolution of 1200x1200 dpi. It also means easy and fast maintenance as each unit can be replaced at the customer site with minimal manual intervention. “Another advantage of the DM5 is the inline embellishment, which adds value without creating a bottleneck in production,” says Spreafico. “We chose to include all kinds of12:15 finishing and embellishment options 3138NV-half-page.pdf 1 7/16/21 PM

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to print high-quality labels in one single pass so we can best serve all sectors and industries—for example, the cosmetics and wine label verticals, which require the highest level of embellishment.” The BOBST MASTER DM5 has been designed with automation in mind, as each module is operated by digital technologies. The success of the press is due to the fact that most of the manual steps usually associated with flexo printing have been automated with BOBST technology, such as DigiFlexo for automatic digital registration and printing pressure setting and control. This also takes care of registration between the digital unit and the flexo stations, both before and after digital printing, which means the operator can trust the machine to keep registration and work autonomously. The result is an ultrafast set-up time, exceptionally high press uptime, and outstanding repeatability. Not to mention that one operator can run the whole system.

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Watch a video of the DM5 in operation. “One of the reasons we chose the DM5, in addition to the digital part, relates to the automation of the traditional printing,” says Spreafico. “The flexo groups are well integrated and have automatic register control camera technology on each station. The press is also very easy to operate and features job changes on the fly, non-stop semi-rotary die-cut change, and a waste matrix system that can make even the most complicated shapes requested by our customers.” He added that the setup times achieved were comparable to those experienced in standalone digital printing, despite the multi-process nature of highly embellished jobs. The substrates that can be printed on the press include pressure-sensitive label stock, light carton board, and, as an option, unsupported film material. I.B.E. was pleasantly surprised to discover that the press can also tackle wine applications. “For some wine labels printed on less textured papers, we were able to replace offset technology with the DM5,” notes Spreafico. Moreover, I.B.E. has found that the durability of the print can compete with screen-printing without the need for lamination, which has saved on plastics, reduced the thickness of the labels, and simplified the finishing process. The inks have a high resistance to abrasion and chemical agents, making them suitable for labels being applied to various chemical products. “We’ve really hit the target with the installation of the DM5, especially as the market continues to request small and medium quantities and increasingly frequent orders,” says Spreafico. “These kinds of services with a short lead time, combined with the quality and repeatability, are the main benefits that our customers are experiencing.” PW

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Snacks in Digitally Printed Cans This Canadian startup discovered that the best way to get its tasty snacks to market in ring-pull aluminum cans was to rely on direct-to-shape digital printing. WHAT YOU’LL LEARN

Use of packaging as a differentiator

Decorating for short runs

By Pat Reynolds, Contributing Editor Ask any Consumer Packaged Goods company what packaging attributes are important in a product launch these days and you can bet that differentiation and sustainability are high on the list. Which explains why Robin Charest, Director of Sales, Marketing & Business Development at SnackPow, is so excited about the digitally printed aluminum can it is using for 13 varieties of snacks it launched last summer. “We wanted to offer a grab-and-go format that is easy for the customer to put in the cup holder of a car, a bicycle, a backpack, or whatever,” says Charest. “We also wanted to move away from plastic film and toward a format more conducive to a circular economy. And aluminum can be recycled endlessly—especially when there is no paper or shrink sleeve film label on it. When we learned that Solucan could supply cans in whatever quantities we wanted, it certainly got our attention. Their digital printing gives us incredible agility, too, in terms of customization. All we need to do is send them a PDF and the number of cans we want.” One challenge Charest and company had to overcome revolves around how light and flimsy a 12-oz aluminum can is—especially when it’s being filled with salty snacks rather than a carbonated beverage that gives the can some internal pressure. Fairly straightforward is depalletizing the empty cans, which is done by a machine made by a supplier Charest prefers not to identify. It’s filling and seaming that are tricky, especially seaming on the aluminum ring-pull end, a process that ordinarily involves considerable top-load pressure. Charest says filling and seaming equipment is essentially home-grown, and again he’d rather not describe it in any great detail. He does say that the cans are backflushed with nitrogen gas and that the plastic overcaps that add a reseal feature are applied by hand. Shelf life is 12 months, and a use-by date is printed on can bottoms by an unnamed ink-jet unit. Secondary packaging is a six-count corrugated case that is also set up by hand. Like most salty snacks, distribution is done by way of storedoor delivery, though some product does go through central distribution facilities. Speaking of distribution, Charest says he is now looking to expand in the U.S. and is looking for distributors. Currently, supermarkets and convenience stores are where consumers can find the cans, and Charest says demand is brisk to say the least. Or the product can be purchased online. The online pricing ranges from

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six cans of BBQ peanuts for $19.99 Canadian to six cans of nuts and chocolate mixed for $38.99. When asked about the cost of the novel packaging format, Charest acknowledged that the aluminum can is slightly more costly than the conventional flexible film format. “But we’re able to pass some of that on to the consumer because they appreciate the added value and the sustainability advantages,” he adds. Be sure to check out the story on page 24 that describes Solucan’s use of Tonejet direct-to-shape digital printing technology. PW

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Aveda’s Paper Sample Packet Replaces Foil Sachets Sampling is a huge piece of the puzzle for The Estée Lauder Companies and its brands. Aveda and its supplier partners found a way to sample product more sustainably, using curbside recycle-ready (or -certified, depending on locale) paper packets formed on unique vf/f/s equipment. WHAT YOU’LL LEARN

Pursuit of certifications

Dynamics of product sampling

By Matt Reynolds, Chief Editor Aveda, The Estée Lauder Companies’ (ELC) high-performance, plant-based hair care company with a mission of sustainability, late last year partnered with co-packer, packaging supplier, and woman-owned business Xela Pack in the development of what the stakeholders say is prestige beauty’s first-ever paper-based, locally recyclable sachet or packet. Also involved in the partnership is Gentile Packaging Machinery (GPM), the OEM responsible for the form/fill/seal-style machinery built to run this proprietary package format. The two affiliated packaging supply companies serve as a singleentity contract packager to form, fill, and seal the Xela Pack-style sample packs on GPM Machinery. Aveda says the new pack design is a superior solution for sampling applications. In addition to being curbside recyclable by European and U.K. consumers at the end of the sample pack’s life, the packets have been designed with sustainability in mind. They were studied in detail through a peer-reviewed life-cycle assessment, which calculated a reduction of 36% to 68% in water consumption and 37% to 64% in emissions [CO2 equivalent] when compared to multilayer laminated structures commonly used in the industry. Such sachets are typically made by combining layers of polyester, polyethylene, and aluminum, and they are not commonly curbside recyclable due to their laminated multi-layer construction, flexible nature, and small sizes. Packaging World was able to sit down (via Zoom) with all of the project stakeholders at Xela Pack, GPM, Aveda, and ELC soon after the announcement in late 2021. But it wasn’t until recently, in late February 2022, that the project became fully commercialized, with Xela Pack actively co-packing the new Aveda sample packs for the consumer marketplace. Today, the project is up and running with Xela Pack using GPM machines to package paper-based Aveda sample packets for European markets.

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The new paper-based packets mimic familiar Aveda bottles in shape, multiple use capability, and prestigebrand appearance.

Sampling challenges Sampling is an important piece of business among The Estée Lauder Companies. But it carries its own unique set of challenges and hurdles when it comes to packaging, especially doing so responsibly. “The cosmetics industry does a lot of sampling, and one of the challenges from both a regulatory and a consumer perspective is to find a way to sample via more sustainable packaging,” says Ana Espinosa, Sustainability and Circularity Strategy, The Estée Lauder Companies. “We have used multiple formats to deliver these types of samples, whether that is through types of foil sachet packets, or sometimes small tubes or small bottles. We are now focused on how to design more sustainable sampling mechanisms that are aligned with our sustainable packaging goals, and helping our brands like Aveda move forward on their journey to have packages that are designed in alignment with what we call our ‘five Rs’: recyclable, recycled, reusable, refillable, and recoverable. These help measure our progress towards creating more responsible packaging with circularity in mind.” In the context of these concepts, the company must simultaneously consider the constraints that different recycling streams in different locations present, the specific constraints that come along for the ride with certain materials categories, and, particular to sampling, the constraints that come with small pack sizes. “The idea of designing a paper-based packet to replace sachets came to the minds of multiple people at The Estée Lauder Companies,”

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Formed packs moving into the side seal station (left and below). Printed exterior and liner-laminated interior of the cards, loaded by magazine into the v/f/f/s (lower left).

one to take this path, we are excited to be a pioneer in this space to make it easy for others to follow. Paper is one of the materials that is being increasingly looked at because of the nature of the it: it has a more robust recycling stream that’s easily recognized by the consumer, and fewer limitations when it comes to the type of decorations that can help support a luxurious sample designed with sustainability in mind.”

Brand & contract packager help one another Espinosa says. “That’s how this journey started, just having in mind that sustainability is a core value for the company and especially for the Aveda brand.” Aveda also values delivering prestige experiences, aiming to create a luxury experience for the consumer in every single location that the brand connects with them. Sampling is a mechanism for Aveda to introduce products to its consumers, so it’s another important contact point that needs to deliver a luxury and more responsible experience. “At the end of the day we are a prestige brand, and we want to ensure that we are creating high performance and luxurious quality in every interaction that we have with our consumer, whether that is through sampling mechanisms like these sachets, retailers, magazines, or directly to consumers,” Espinosa says. “But with a sustainability mission at the heart of the Aveda brand, more responsible packaging needs to be part of that experience as well.” So why now? Paper-based packaging has been around for a while, surely someone thought of this before. “Some of these technologies weren’t available in the past, especially at the scale that they can achieve now,” Espinosa says. “And this is one of the main things that we are envisioning: with Aveda being the first

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The brand/contract packager relationship on this project began a little more than three years ago, with Aveda approaching Xela Pack about more sustainable packaging formats. Xela Pack was already known for ecologically minded, mandrel-formed paper tubes with poly-laminate and foil liners, so it was a logical format for Aveda to consider. Due to the novel format of the packaging, and the innovation of using a new sampling mechanism like this, Aveda wanted to ensure it was tested and validated by recognized third parties with expertise in this area. The Aveda team reached out to Xela to work together and find a solution that was going to be recognized by these third parties, while still helping the brand deliver a prestige look. As luck would have it, around the time Aveda approached them, Xela Pack had been working on new material specs to accomplish those same goals. The company had high hopes for a non-foil material it had developed that uses EVOH for a barrier layer instead of metalized foil. After hearing from Aveda, the contract packager realized that a major cosmetics brand with such reach and influence would be a fine partner in co-developing it; essentially getting it ready for prime time. What resulted was a several-years-long beta testing, certification, and marketing partnership between Aveda/The Estée Lauder Companies and Xela Pack/GPM that was exclusively held between those parties until March 1, 2022.

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Mutually beneficial testing and certifications With certification of recyclability in mind, Xela Pack had already begun sending samples of its materials to at least one certifying body. The proprietary foil-less, paper-EVOH laminate that would eventually become the new Aveda sample pack format seemed most promising. But just to see where it stood, the packaging supplier also sent two of its pre-existing laminations for testing, both paper-foil-poly structures. One was a standard lamination that had remained virtually the same since Xela Pack’s inception 30 years ago, with some minor modifications along the way. The other, termed a “white recycled” material, uses 100% recycled paper—roughly 65% post-consumer, 35% post-industrial.

Formed packets being raised into the filling station.

Watch the Gentile Packaging Machinery equipment in action as it forms, fills, and seals paper-based Xela Pack packets for samples of Estée Lauder’s Aveda brand. Xela Pack first sent the trio of materials to Western Michigan University (WMU), who Gentile says defines a well-recognized recycling certification standard for the U.S. In what the company views as a temporary setback, WMU found that the amount of material being recouped from these laminated constructions, at least in the U.S. stream, was a little less than what is required for certification. This was no major disappointment, rather a data point on a learning curve that has more to do with ratios of material weights—of EVOH to paper, for instance—than it does of either material’s true recyclability. Also reflected is the comparative robustness between European and American recycling infrastructure and adherence—we’re just not quite as far along in the U.S. Xela Pack is currently back at the drawing board, iteratively working toward those U.S. tests and local standards. “The plan is to be launching a new material that is certified recyclable in the U.S., as well as in the U.K. and Europe” adds Carolynn O’Connor, Director of Sales, Xela Pack. “We have, I think, realistic goals of making that happen this year.” Validating recyclability in other regions was instrumental to Aveda, so it partnered with Xela to test the packages to see if they met UNI standards in Europe “At that point, we really felt we were part of a great partnership. We

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had this material that we were working on, they helped guide us through getting it tested with their vast expertise and experience in the space. “Most importantly, in the process we found out that this material that Aveda will be launching in—the paper-poly lamination—is in fact UNI-ready. It can be certified recyclable at this specific level for Europe and the U.K. With our partners at Aveda, we released this information in November 2021—it is the first certified recyclable non-foil Xela Packs ever that they’re launching in.” As luck would once again have it, UNI also said Xela Pack’s pre-existing laminations—both with foil layers, one nearly 30 years old, the other “white recycle”—also qualify to be UNI certified as recyclable. The partnership was indeed paying dividends for all parties. “We are still working toward the ultimate goal of broad recyclability. And in the process, Aveda helped us find that this material can be certified in Europe, and they’re going to be the first to launch in it,” Gentile concludes of the relationship.

Filled and sealed packets in pack eject, running by counting sensors. As launched in March, the finished, certified packaging structure is a 10-point C1S paperboard format, printed on one side, and coated on the other with 2.5 mil of EVOH. It’s actually a multi-poly lamination that uses EVOH for the barrier. Details on the tie layer remain proprietary. “One of the things that was really amazing about Xela Pack is that they were as hungry as we are in developing something that was going to be luxurious, scalable, and with sustainability in mind,” Espinosa adds. “Working with the Xela Pack team has been very much of our collaboration and a joint development in that sense, understanding the values of each one of the companies and how can we bring both of our expertise together. And that’s one of the things that really drew us to working with them.”

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Challenges along the way Early conversations at Aveda centered around what would constitute the right paperboard that the brand should be using, how emissions that this packet is causing can be reduced, and more. Michael Christel, Director Packaging Sustainability, The Estée Lauder Companies, needed to know what the right weight, thickness, and color would be to ensure re-pulpability and recyclability of the packets. They also

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Five finished packs counted by the machine’s sensors. needed to ensure that, ultimately, the product itself would retain its high performance inside of these packets. All these competing considerations created challenges along the way. “There were lots of iterations of the pack. We started with something that looked a lot simpler than where we ended up, and that was less customizable. We were more on the basics, like the material and what we thought was going to be compatible with some of our product formulas,” Christel says. “And then we started to build the luxury aspect into it. There have been some challenges that we and Xela Pack have been trying to solve. And that has made the process a very innovative one for both of us. Our original intention was to try to design in alignment with our 5R’s as well as circularity. And so, there have been multiple conversations, as well as tests and engagement of external third parties and experts in the field, for us to ensure that this was going to be recyclable, that we had the right materials, that this structure was the proper one, and obviously, that it was compatible with the product. Ultimately, not only were we elevating the packaging, but we were also elevating the consumer experience.”

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Automating an all-new pack An unnamed Xela Pack supplier converts the proprietary material into rollstock, after which it’s sent to a printer for decoration and die-cutting. “It’s flexographically printed, and we can do up to seven colors,” O’Connor says. “We have different gloss and matte varnishes that we can use, or a combination of gloss and matte on the same packet.” Die-cut magazines of 2-D sample pack blanks (or cards) are delivered to Xela Pack, to be run on GPM XP-FFS-5 vf/f/s equipment. This is an all-new piece of machinery for GPM, and while details about its formers are proprietary, they can be said to be “mandrel-style.” As each 2-D card enters the equipment via magazine, it is first embossed, then formed, and finally heat side-sealed. Depending on the application and size of the pack, the machine may use an opener as the pack travels to the filler to ensure the pack is ready to receive product. The final operation on the machine is heat top-sealing the finished product unit. Speaking of product, the system can either use bellows or piston fillers, depending on the application. For Aveda products, like shampoos and conditioners that tend to be viscous, piston fillers tend to be the way to go, but bellows fillers are available for purely liquid applications. The system could also handle dry powders or single units like pills, but such product isn’t relevant to the Aveda application. Secondary packaging is again application-dependent—unit packs could go into anything from corrugated master cases, to printed chip-board cartons that are more suited to retail—even retailready packaging.

Knock-on advantages over legacy foil sachets “We were looking at not only designing the sample so it was recyclable, but also the structure of the sample to see what other potential environmental benefits we could tap into by using Xela’s innovative packet,” Espinosa says. This is why Aveda/ELC conducted a life-cycle assessment.

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Regardless of how many ounces of sample material the legacy foil sachets may have been able to hold, they were largely considered single-use or single-dose. That’s because, once opened, there’s not much a consumer can do to store the 2-D, lay-flat packs. And more likely than not, a sachet will be ripped raggedly, thus no longer able to neatly contain its contents. These new Aveda sample packs using Xela Pack tech have a gusseted bottom, thus they are 3-D structures. Xela Pack offers a format that can stand upright in a bathroom or shower setting, but Aveda opted not to use that version since these are intended to be one-use sample packs. Not only are the packs 3-D, but they feature a pack profile that includes a narrowing, neck-down portion that culminates in an embossed, tear-off, controlled orifice. The pack doesn’t reseal itself per se, but it does reclose itself mechanically in such a way that virtually precludes leakage. Dispensing requires 7 lbs. of direct pressure, so the freestanding pack will not leak, even after being opened. To open and use the sample packet, the consumer only needs to bend the closure flap along the embossed placeholder, tear it, use it, pinch it closed, and if there’s any left, save for later. So essentially, the paper sample packet system more closely resembles a bottle than a sachet. If they chose to, consumers could use the contents one day, set it down in the shower, then use it again the following day with no product leakage, thanks to the controlled orifice that mechanically closes itself based on the shape and rigidity of the paperboard. The structure actually prevents air from entering the pack, even after opened, so it could remain opened, but unfinished, for much longer than a day without any product degradation.

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Modular Conveyor Express An industry leading company with proven conveyor systems. • Product Flexibility: Quickly introduce new products into inventory Completed primary packaging packets, ejected through shoots and ready for secondary packaging that varies by application. “The consumer experience is just much better than that of a foil pack,” O’Connor says. “We did a video where we had side-by-side consumers opening a foil sachet and a Xela Pack side by side, and it’s clear with the foil pack, they don’t have any control of how much product comes out. With the Xela Pack, you can control how much comes out, you can use a little at a time, and there’s no waste. Sustainability is very important to companies, but they also have to consider consumer experience. When giving a sample, that’s an extension of their brand, and bad experiences result in poor brand associations. And for ELC or Aveda, they have to make sure it lives up to their status as a prestige brand.” Summarizes Edmond Irizarry, Aveda’s Executive Director, Global Package Development: “At Aveda, we understand the relevance of sampling our products in a sustainable way: in-line with our mission, and without compromise on product quality or consumer experience. I am extremely proud of our three-year development partnership with Xela Pack to deliver this breakthrough sampling innovation. We look forward to expanding this technology to other markets, brands, and categories in the near future.” PW

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Primer: Machine-to-Machine Communication Via PackML At PACK EXPO East 2022, Ron MacDonald of OMAC walked attendees through key states of PackML, highlighting their impact on successful packaging line operation. WHAT YOU’LL LEARN

PackML Primer

What CPGs/brands need to know

By Dave Greenfield, Director of Content, Automation World The PackML automation standard is used in the packaging machine industry to transfer and receive consistent data between machines on a packaging line. While it’s well known to machine builders, it offers important lessons for end users of equipment in food, beverage, pharmaceutical, and other consumer packaged goods industries. At PACK EXPO East 2022, Ron MacDonald, R&D expert engineer at Nestlé and Chairman of OMAC (the Organization for Machine and Automation Control), which manages the PackML group overseeing the standard, gave a presentation to help end users understand how PackML helps manage packaging line flow to make their operations more efficient. In his presentation, he explained four key states of the PackML standard: Held, Suspended, Blocked, and Starved. The ‘Held’ state indicates that a machine on packaging line—such

PackML machine states described by OMAC’s Ron MacDonald.

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as a filler, capper, or case packer—wants to execute its operation, but some factor is holding it back. These factors can vary depending on the product being processed. For example, it could be caused by the temperature of the product; for a case packer, it could be that not enough cartons are available. The “Suspended” state in PackML indicates an issue with a machine on the line. Essentially it means that the machine in that state is waiting on another machine on the line to have its issue corrected before resuming function. In this state the machine can restart operations as soon as the problem causing the issue is addressed, “with no operator intervention required,” MacDonald explained. As the name implies, the “Blocked” state in PackML indicates a blockage on the line according to sensor data. “The ‘Blocked’ sensor is generally the most important performance monitoring sensor on the line,” said MacDonald, underscoring the impact of the “Blocked” state on packaging line performance. Likewise, the “Starved” state indicates that a machine on the line is not getting enough product to perform regular operation. “All of this matters because labor and material costs are high and end users want to get the most productive use out of their packaging equipment,” MacDonald said. That’s why “OEMs like to build in PackML on their equipment so that they all have the same kind of dashboard for communication.” Highlighting how the PackML states relate to automated machinery on the packaging line, MacDonald used an illustration of a packaging line section between a filler and a capper. “A ‘Blocked’ sensor would be positioned after the filler, while a ‘Starved’ sensor would be placed before the capper to maintain surges or infeed pressures,” he explained. “Surge sensors are positioned in between these two sensors to measure nominal and overspeed flows of prod-

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uct. In a steady state flow of materials between the filler and capper, In this video, Jim Chrzan of there will be some stacking of product just before the capper to keep PMMI Media Group speaks it operating at maximum capacity. However, if something happens to with Ron MacDonald at PACK EXPO East about his block the flow of product between these two machines, it will trip the recommendations to ensure ‘Starved’ sensor on the capper.” optimal packaging line A common packaging line situation occurs when the capper gets performance. jammed. In this situation, product will build up, causing the “Blocked” sensor to trip and sending the line into the “Suspended” state. “Once this situation is fixed, the surge function will go into overspeed, causing the capper to worker harder to draw down the accumulation of product, thereby sending the line back to ‘Steady’ state,” MacDonald said. “That’s why it’s important to make sure the machines you choose can comfortably handle overspeed operations for extended periods. Also watch ancillary functions, like printing and labeling applications, when setting overspeed conditions to make sure they can handle this too.” He suggests addressing overspeed conditions with the OEM to determine the best machine and appropriate settings for your operation. MacDonald also stressed the importance of defining the bottleneck (rate limit) for your packaging line. “All other machines normally run at the nominal speed of the bottleneck,” he said, “which is why it’s typically the most expensive and complex machine on a packaging line.” Noting the importance and roles of the buffer and accumulation process in a packaging line, MacDonald said, “The buffer occurs before the bottleneck and creates a constant flow of product at the infeed to ensure the next machine on the line doesn’t go into the ‘Starved’ state. Accumulation occurs after the bottleneck to ensure the bottleneck has a place to discharge output to prevent choking. Operators may take comfort in the accumulaNothing inspires us more than the tion of product in front of the machine they operate, conversations we have with our customers seeing it as an indication of work to do, but too much accumulation can flood the system and cause the filler about solving their most difficult challenges. to shut down, which is a situation you want to avoid.” Essentially, the “whole line needs to work as a famVisit Us at Expo Pack this June ily to protect filler operations and ensure it doesn’t stop operation, which means subsequent machines on and let’s see what we can the line need to be capable of drawing down overflow create together! with overspeed operation,” said MacDonald. “That’s why it’s important to determine usable accumulation in each section of the packaging line during steady EXCEPTIONAL PEOPLE | INNOVATIVE PRODUCTS | WORLD-CLASS SERVICE state conditions.” MacDonald also detailed the impact of MTBF (meantime between failure, which is machine uptime divided by the number of breakdowns) and MTTR (mean time to repair, which is downtime divided by the number of breakdowns). He said performing and maintaining these calculations will help address about 80% of stoppages. “They won’t always address major breakdowns, but they will address most basic line stoppages,” he said. PW

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Co-packer Deploys Packaging Innovations for Brita Bottled Water B Water & Beverages works with Brita to design sustainable packaging for its first retail bottled water product that includes a sturdy, striking, refillable, recyclable aluminum bottle and a plastic-free paperboard carrier that is also fully recyclable. WHAT YOU’LL LEARN

Paperboard multipack carrier

Reusable packaging

Aluminum bottle innovation

By Anne Marie Mohan, Senior Editor For more than 30 years, Brita has served its customers by providing faucet filtration and filter pitcher systems that improve the taste and quality of tap water and offer a sustainable alternative to single-use plastic bottles. Using a Brita® system to filter water results in four-times fewer greenhouse gas emissions than drinking bottled water and can eliminate the use of 1,800 single-use plastic bottles per year per household. Given the brand’s strong sustainability position, when it considered putting a bottled water product into the retail market, it needed packaging that continued this commitment. By carefully vetting packaging materials and suppliers, it was able to introduce its product in a packaging format that—from container to carrier—uses the latest packaging innovation to provide a sustainable option to single-use plastic water bottles.

Brita’s Premium Purified Water, which launched in a number of large grocery chains nationwide in 2021, is packaged in a durable, refillable, plastic-free aluminum bottle, in an 18- and a 25-oz size, from Trivium Packaging. For its multipacks, Brita uses a unique, fully-recyclable paperboard carrier, the Fishbone from Atlantic Packaging, that uses less than half the material of a paperboard carton. The culmination of the package was made possible by B Water & Beverages, Inc., a co-manufacturer/packager (CM&P) of water in aluminum bottles and cans located in San Fernando, Calif. B Water worked with Trivium to ensure the manufacture of a plastic-free bottle and introduced Brita to the Fishbone carrier, installing a custom, 600-can/ min automatic applicator designed by Serpa Packaging Solutions, a ProMach product brand, to create the plastic-free multipack.

Brita’s Premium Purified Water is packaged in a durable, refillable aluminum bottle, in an 18- and a 25-oz size, with multipacks held together by the Fishbone C-Clip fully-recyclable paperboard carrier.

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Watch a video of Fishbones being applied to Brita multipacks.

A custom, Serpa-engineered applicator applies a Fishbone carrier to the top of a six-pack of bottles.

Impact-extruded aluminum facilitates reusability B Water & Beverages, led by company president Jennifer Brooks, operates a 45,000-sq-ft, state-of-the-art facility equipped with two fully automated packaging lines, the most recent one installed for Brita. B Water’s first line is dedicated to Blue Can 50-Year Shelf Life Emergency Water in 12- and 32-oz aluminum cans. Given B Water’s expertise in handling water in aluminum, Brita reached out to the company in 2020 to produce Brita Water. Says Brooks, after much due diligence, Brita selected B Water as the exclusive manufacturer of its new retail product. According to Brooks, Brita had researched several packaging options before deciding upon aluminum. The first was glass. “But glass has its issues,” says Brooks. Among them, its heavy weight and shatter-ability. Another material it looked at was the multilayer carton. “But, that’s not sustainable either because for one, it has a plastic cap, which is not good for marine life, and two, it’s lined with aluminum, which makes it quite complicated to recycle,” she says. “Aluminum, then, became the material of choice due to its light weight, durability, and infinite recyclability,” Brooks explains. From there, B Water worked with supplier Trivium to develop a refillable aluminum container, which was a primary goal of Brita’s. Collectively, the team decided on an impact-extruded bottle. Explains Trivium Packaging VP – Head of Global Beverage Ryan Noward, two factors make impact-extruded bottles preferred for refill ap-

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plications. “First, bottles produced from this technology provide the sturdiness that allows them to withstand multiple uses,” he says. “Second, in the impact-extrusion process, we have the ability to apply liners in a very specific manner, which provides the best internal coverage for the bottle.” Brooks describes the bottle as a cross between a soda can and a stainless-steel bottle. “So, where stainless steel is very hard—you really can’t crush it with your hands—and a soda can is easily crushed, the impact-extruded can is in-between in terms of thickness and durability.” Testing the bottle over a three-week period, B Water found it could be uncapped, emptied, refilled, and recapped without any degradation to the bottle liner, the bottle, or the cap. “So it’s definitely refillable, and that’s really the key to help with saving the planet,” says Brooks. “It’s about reducing or eliminating single-use containers of any kind, but especially plastic.” B Water has found that consumers often drink the water and then refill the bottle throughout the day, on-the-go, to meet their recommended daily intake of water.

Supplier expertise enables plastic-free bottle B Water wanted a 100% aluminum bottle so that it would be curbside-recyclable. In selecting a bottle supplier, Brooks says that one of the things that attracted B Water to Trivium was its willingness to work with the CM&P to drive innovation. Traditionally, with larger aluminum

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cess. Says Noward, the company can print alumibottles such as the 25-oz size, a plastic outsert is num bottles in up to nine colors “with photorealisneeded on the neck of the bottle to receive the tic quality.” The Brita bottle is a beautiful example aluminum closure. of this. The slim, column-shaped container has a Trivium developed, and then made a sigdeep ocean-blue background, with a darker blue nificant investment in, the capability to produce pattern throughout that makes the bottle appear metal threads directly onto the bottle. Accordas if it’s covered in water droplets. The copy is ing to Noward, it’s less about the equipment white, with the Brita logo running vertically along and more about the technical know-how. “While the front panel. On the back are printed icons, acthere was new equipment involved, the bulk of companied by copy that reads, “Refillable Bottle,” the effort came in the form of engineering and “Superior 10-Step Filtration,” “Every Bottle Gives development work,” he says. “Tom Chupak, Keith Back” (proceeds from every purchase are used to Mitchell, Nicole Gailey, and the broader R&D and support environmental solutions), and “Infinitely Innovation team in Youngstown [Ohio] worked Recyclable.” The all-aluminum cap, supplied by tirelessly to develop this capability. G3 Enterprises, is the same blue as the bottle. “Forming metal threads on a bottle is a complicated, difficult process that Trivium’s years of experience in impact extrusion allowed us to execute. Once the technology was developed, Plant Manager Michael Wood and the operations team Jennifer Brooks, President, After investing the time and resources to credialed in on how to produce the bottles at scale.” ate a durable, refillable bottle that was also fully B Water & Beverages Says Brooks, “We were the first ones to have curbside recyclable, Brita and B Water were loath fully 100% aluminum bottles with no plastic outsert and closures formto offer consumers multipacks held together by plastic ring carriers. threaded directly onto the neck of the bottle. So we were excited about Some years before the Brita project, B Water was introduced to Atlantic’s that, and we’re thrilled about our partnership with Trivium as well.” Fishbone paperboard can carrier when looking for an option for a sixTrivium also prints the bottles in-line as part of the production propack of cans, but the project never came to fruition.

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The Fishbone remained top-of-mind, however. “When we started working with Brita and developing out our SKUs, we realized we also wanted to do a multipack to replace 24- and 36-pack plastic water bottles. And we thought that if we did a four-pack of 25-oz bottles, and it’s refillable, or a six-pack of the 18-ounce, and it’s refillable, that would replace a 36-pack,” shares Brooks. “So right away, we knew to go to Atlantic. In fact, I’ll be honest, Atlantic is the only company we went to for the multipacks, because we knew of their capabilities before we knew the team. James Skyler, B Water’s CEO, was well aware of it [the Fishbone] and really believed in it. We just never pulled the trigger on our smaller brand because there wasn’t that need. But with Brita, there certainly was.” The supplier of the Fishbone is Wilmington, N.C.based Atlantic Packaging, the largest privately held if packaging company in North America. Seventy percent of its revenues are in packaging equipment, materials, and technical service; 30% comes from value-added, paper-based products. Its president, Wes Carter, is the third generation to guide the company. As Carter explains, Atlantic Packaging got its name from the company’s close connection to the Atlantic Ocean and its guiding commitment to help consumer packaged goods companies transition to a more sustainable future through optimized packaging. Says Carter, “I grew up on the Atlantic Ocean, and so did my father. I grew up as a surfer and an offshore fisherman. Atlantic also has a very big presence in the beverage industry. It’s one of our top verticals, and we have done a tremendous amount of work in packaging optimization for beverage customers. That six-pack ring—and I’ve talked about this pretty publicly—is sort of the poster child for problematic packaging. It has been choking turtles and sea life since I was a kid.” So when inventors from California brought the idea of the paperboard can carrier to Atlantic in 2018, it was eager to pursue the concept. That meant using its skills to both develop and manufacture the paperboard structure, as well as engineer, install, and service the equipment to apply the carrier. “We felt that, based on our presence in the beverage industry, the resources we have within Atlantic, and our commitment to sustainability, we might be able to facilitate really significant change,” Carter shares. The first step was to select a paperboard with the optimal strength and tear-resistance for the application. That’s according to Allison Scales, VP - Printing & Graphics Division at Atlantic, who shares that the company opted for a 29-pt board from Sweden-based BillerudKorsnäs, a supplier that she says operates “the most sustainable paper mill in the world.” The board, Scales adds, is caliper-to-caliper 20% stronger in tear-resistance than domestic board. “Normally you can down-caliper and keep strength, and then you are saving tons of material,” she explains. “But in this case,

we needed it to be as strong as possible, so we went with 29-point, which is the thickest board BillerudKorsnäs offers.” Carter adds that despite the fact that the board is shipped from Sweden, because of BillerudKorsnäs’s sustainability practices, it still results in two-thirds fewer carbon emissions than domestically produced boards. In the early days of the project, Scales relates that the greatest challenge was finding a way to impart moisture-resistance to the board

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without the use of a plastic coating. There do exist paperboard carriers on the market from other suppliers; at least one of them laminates the board with plastic. As Carter shares, that’s good for moisture-resistance, but not for recycling. To allow for Fishbone recyclability, Atlantic honed in on a 100% repulpable, water-based barrier coating. The coating has traditionally been used as a replacement for polyethylene or wax coatings to protect corrugated shippers for produce and is typically applied to the liner. Atlantic is the first company to bring the coating in-house and apply on-press. The Fishbone can carrier was initially designed in 11 configurations to accommodate a range of can sizes while ensuring the multipack could match the footprint of existing corrugated trays. The basic construction comprises a single piece of coated paperboard, die-cut with round, scalloped openings, or teeth, as Atlantic refers to them, that hold the neck of the can or bottle. Precisely placed finger holes allow the consumer to easily pick up and carry the multipack without the holes tearing.

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One variation on the standard Fishbone is the patented C-Clip, which was designed in collaboration with B Water. While this version uses more material, it also offers greater shelf impact and adds increased rigidity and strength for larger containers, such as Brita’s 18- and 25-oz bottles. The carrier mimics a “C” shape, where the Fishbone carrier has a side panel that runs along the side of the multipack. Glued to the bottom of the side panel is a bottom “shelf,” which is die-cut with round openings that hold the bottles. Atlantic has the ability to customize the length of the side panel to the customer’s specifications. B Water is using the C-Clip for a six-pack of 18-oz cans and a four-pack of 25-oz cans. According to Brooks, the C-Clip was chosen for its ability to protect the bottles. “With these bottles, if a lot of pressure is applied during transit, they can end up being dented,” she says. “As you can imagine, having high retail shrinkage, where they’re having to throw away product because the packaging is so dented, is not good for business. It’s bad for our margins and would hurt our reputation as a supplier. Protecting our product is paramount, and the Fishbone achieves that.” Brita’s multipack carriers are offset-printed by Atlantic in four-color process plus one Pantone color, with eye-catching graphics that mirror the branding on the bottles. For single bottles shipped to retail for individual sale, B Water uses plain brown Fishbone carriers. In-store, store clerks just remove the bottles from the carrier for placement on the shelf.

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Custom carrier requires custom applicator After Atlantic designed the Fishbone structure, it then needed to engineer equipment that could efficiently apply the carrier to cans or bottles at production speeds. Evaluating the strengths of the OEM partners it represents, Atlantic narrowed in on Serpa, a machinery company that specializes in cartoning solutions. Says Carter, “The big differentiator with Serpa from a lot of the other folks we potentially could have looked at is that they’re a true engineering company; that’s the way they go at it. And we knew there wasn’t an off-the-shelf solution, and it’s not something where you could even take an existing piece of machinery and modify it.” Aaron Metzler, National Sales and Applications Manager for Serpa, agrees. “When they approached us in December 2019, they said they had a paper-sleeve design, and we said, ‘Sure, we can apply sleeves.’ But once the samples came in, we saw that it was a little different than what we were expecting.” With its engineers freed up somewhat as a result of the pandemic, Serpa was able to produce a prototype machine with robotic picking and placing by May 2020. The biggest hurdle, Metzler shares, was designing a solution that would ensure that the Fishbone stayed flat during application, even as pressure is applied to snap the teeth around the top of the containers. He explains, “If you’re trying to push down on the board, and you don’t have any containment, it will curl on the edges. Atlantic didn’t want that look. They wanted it to be nice and flat, so that when the consumer looks down at it, they can see all the artwork.”

Getting Started with Sustainable Packaging Looking for information on how to get started with sustainable packaging? This Packaging World primer provides an overview on what sustainable packaging is, what’s driving the push for more sustainable packaging, and how to reduce the environmental impact of packaging. Includes links to resources. Download this free PDF today at pwgo.to/7345.

Serpa solved this issue by engineering specialized end-of-arm tooling for the delta pick-and-place robots that apply the Fishbone. “It’s a combination of technologies that we’ve developed over the years,” Metzler shares. “For the early Fishbone, we were able to create an EOAT that could support the bottom of the panel while it’s being applied onto the bottles so that we could apply the amount of pressure needed to snap it onto the cans.”

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B Water’s impressive packaging line investment In late November 2021, B Water installed the BCF100-S continuousmotion automatic Fishbone applicator, specifically engineered for their use by Serpa. While the machine can operate at speeds to 600 cans/min, B Water is working up to this speed, as order volumes increase. The application process begins when filled, sealed bottles enter the infeed of the machine in single file. From there, they are conveyed through a set of diverging timing screws followed by grouping timing screws that align them in either four- or six-pack spacing. The first two Serpa delta robots handle the bottom panel, with the first picking the paperboard piece from a magazine and staging it, and the second picking the panel from there and placing it over the top of the bottles, positioning it the required distance from the container top. Next, the same process is repeated by two delta robots, with the Fishbone top with attached panel pushed down on top of the bottles. In the next step, the panel is folded down along the side of the multipack and glued to the bottom Fishbone. The top/side panel is glued to the bottom C-Clip panel for a sixSays Kevin Gillespie, Production Manager for B Water, one of B Wapack of 18-oz bottles. ter’s considerations was the machine’s ability to easily change over from one multipack and can size to another. Serpa designed the equipment Serpa’s strategy has been to develop modular applicator systems, so that changeover from the 18-oz six-pack to the 25-oz four-pack is adding robots as needed for higher-speed applications. It offers eight tool-less, only requiring changes in two timing screws, 12 magazine fully automatic models, including intermittent- and continuous-motion parts, and some height adjustments of rails and the glue system. Acstyles, that can apply the carrier at speeds from 150 to 1,800 cans/min. cording to Gillespie, the entire process can be done in less than an hour. Atlantic manufactures the smaller, manual and semi-automatic mod“Serpa did a fantastic job of providing changeover sheets with instrucels, suited for companies looking for speeds from 24 to 40 cans/min. 22_0854_Packaging_World_MAY Mod: March 30, 2022 2:20 PM Print: 04/08/22 page 1 v2.5

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tions, and the parts are very easy to change out,” he says. The Serpa BCF100-S was the final piece of equipment added to B Water’s new filling line. Other machines on the line, also selected for their changeover flexibility, include a Magic Bus high-level automatic depalletizer from Ska Fabricating, an ionized air rinser from Carleton Helical, a Zalkin capper, a high-speed air dryer from Republic Manufacturing, a Markem-Imaje date coder, and an automatic palletizer from Top Tier. Modular Conveyor Systems (MCE) provided all conveying equipment.

Consumers appreciate Brita’s efforts Brita Premium Purified Water was introduced in 2021 and is available nationwide at retailers that include Albertsons, Safeway, Harris Teeter, Giant Eagle, and Tom Thumb, among many others, and is also sold on Amazon.com and Walmart.com. The product carries a suggested retail price of $1.99 per 18-oz bottle, $2.99 for a 25-oz size, and $10.99 each for the fourand six-pack.

board carrier is one that has furthered their drive to create more sustainable options for single-use beverage packaging. Says Carter, “We’re really proud of this initiative, working with B Water and bringing this product to market with such a recognizable brand. Engaging with B Water for the Fishbone program has been the catalyst for our organization and its passion for sustainability. It has changed the energy of our organization in so many ways.” PW

A SCALE FOR ANY APPLICATION I

Tr Shares Brooks, since the product’s launch, it has received tremendous feedback from both retailers and consumers. From the retailer perspective, the fact that they accept the items means they’re impressed, she says. From the consumer perspective, reviews on Amazon show they are happy with the taste (one consumer even titled their review, “Dear God this is good”), and the refillability of the container. Another consumer wrote that they use their Brita pitcher to filter the water they pour into the refillable bottle—a win/win for a loyal Brita user. For the other parties involved in this packaging project of many firsts, the new format with paper-

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Previewing EXPO PACK Mexico 2022 After four years without an in-person event of its kind in Mexico City, the biggest packaging and processing tradeshow in Latin America is back with an unprecedented technological and educational offering for brand owners and CPGs. By Lilián Robayo, Editor, Mundo PMMI

“It is time for us to meet again!” states one of the slogans that EXPO PACK Mexico 2022 is using to encourage professionals from over 40 vertical industries across Latin America to visit this world-class tradeshow, which is being held between June 14-17 at the Santa Fe Exhibition Center in Mexico’s capital. The 172,000 square feet of expo space will allow attendees to safely witness technologies from over 700 exhibiting companies, as well as attend world-class conferences about sustainability, gender equity within the industry, IIoT, e-commerce, and much more. Visitors can capitalize on business opportunities resulting from face-to-face encounters between professionals from CPGs, OEMs, and other stakeholders on the value chain. In the 2022 iteration of the show, international OEMs’ participation will also shine via dedicated halls for Argentina, Illinois, Italy, France, Spain, and Brazil.

Digital tools and options Through the digital tool Mi Agenda del Evento (My Event Calendar), EXPO PACK Mexico 2022 attendees will be able to schedule their visits to exhibitors’ booths, add educa-

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tional events they wish to attend to an easy-to-manage calendar, and plan their encounters and business meetings. This tool lets them locate relevant innovations and technologies offered by exhibitors through keyword, industry type, or category searches. This tool can be accessed via the EXPO PACK Mexico webpage (www.expopackmexico.com.mx) or by downloading the iOS or Android mobile web app. Using the virtual event expertise gained by EXPO PACK and PMMI during pandemic-related lockdowns, an EXPO PACK Online program will also be an option for this year’s show. Registration for this format is free, and it grants access to the event’s digital features, allowing virtual attendees to create and maintain a schedule of events through the Mi Agenda del Evento (My Event Calendar) tool. This schedule lets the user learn about the exhibitors’ offering and watch, on-demand, all of the 30-minute, pre-recorded technical conference sessions in a program called Espacio para Innovadores (Innovation Stage), both during and after the event. Online attendees who wish to visit the tradeshow will be able to modify their registration mode to in-person at no cost.

A pioneering educational program Mundo PMMI will showcase its world-class program, EXPO PACK Keynotes, for the first time in Mexico City prior to the show’s opening, June 14-16. These one-hour keynote presentations will focus on circular economy, robotics, and automation for packaging operations, as well as on the current state of the industry, featuring packaging expert leaders from renowned brands and retailers. As an extension of EXPO PACK Keynotes, and also on June 14 before the show starts, a high-level panel called “A 360° Look at Circular Economy and Packaging Sustainability:

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Tracing the Route towards 2030” will take place. The panel features the participation of sustainability expert spokespeople from brands Nestlé and Danone, retail giant Walmart, the Mexican Center of Life Cycle Analysis and Sustainable Design, and the recycling company Enval. Also at the event, The Packaging & Processing Women’s Leadership Network (PPWLN) will sponsor an inaugural event called “Women Leadership and the Packaging Industry in Latin America—Boosting Gender Equality and STEM Careers.” This panel brings together a group of extraordinary Mexican women who will share their inspirational stories and discuss strategies and actions they have implemented not only to become leaders within the manufacturing industry, but to promote STEM careers among girls and young women in the region. And during the show’s final keynote conference on Thursday, June 16, Mexican engineers from Siemens–Enmanuel Aparicio and Sergio Salinas representing the Organization for Machine Automation and Control (OMAC)–will address the current and future challenges facing the packaging industry regarding the adoption of the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT).

Innovation, the tradeshow’s motor The opportunity to witness innovative concepts in action will occur at the Zona de Innovación en Empaques (The Packaging Innovation Area), a physical space where award-winning and acclaimed packaging solutions from Mexico and other Latin American countries will be showcased, thanks to their design and development contributions to the advancement of sustainability, functionality, and quality. Across this exhibit, visitors will gather technical

information of these packaging feats, and learn about their designers, suppliers, the materials involved, and the specific solutions offered to the markets they have been designed for. Creativity and response capabilities in the face of specific challenges will also have their own space within the Espacio para Innovadores (Innovation Stages), a series of leading-edge conferences available on the exhibit’s show floor where attendees will discover special technologies that companies have created and implemented to solve specific issues. Through 30-minute presentations, they will talk about their development processes of these solutions, better practices used, and their results. As previously mentioned, this space’s sessions will be pre-recorded and available for on-demand viewing through EXPO PACK Online.

Sustainability and backing for small and medium companies While touring the exhibit halls, visitor will find seals on various booths connecting the exhibitor with a particular offering; for instance, the EXPO PACK Verde (Green) seal highlights the environmentally friendly technological alternatives of an exhibitor, whether due to its offering in terms of recyclability, reusability, compostabilty, or biodegradability solutions, among others. One other seal present in the show’s listing and stands is PYME, which will identify those exhibitors who back small and medium-sized companies through financing programs, discounts, and other types of benefits. “The robust education program combined with over 700 leading packaging and processing suppliers on the show floor provides unprecedented access to the latest trends and solutions all in one place,” says Laura Thompson, VP trade shows. “The industry has been undergoing rapid change and seeing new technologies, having in-depth conversations, and sharing ideas with industry colleagues is the best way to find solutions to address current industry challenges.” Visit pwgo.to/7551 to register for EXPO PACK Mexico 2022. PW

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By Anne Marie Mohan, Senior Editor

Baby Food Rebrand Reflects Fresh Approach

See more pictures of Little Spoon’s redesigned packaging

nuances, and there is a lot less copy and regulations Since launching its retail line of Babyblends for on-pack, which frees up the design and allows refrigerated organic purées for babies in for more creativity. There is also more opportunity 2017, Little Spoon Organic, LLC has expanded its product line to include to create a cohesive brand as you don’t have the toddler and kids meals, vitamin boosters and remedies, and most same issues with differentiating SKUs at a retail level. Lighting, shelf recently smoothies and has pivoted to direct-to-consumer sales only. placement, brand blocking—none of those things apply. From the outset, Little Spoon’s packaging—a cup with attached blue “D2C brands are digitally native and lend themselves to storytelling— spoon, decorated with minimalist, modern graphics—has reflected the that includes the design and elements brand’s strategy, which is to provide “highused in the branding. They tend to look quality, easy-to-use, and reasonably and feel modern, clean, and iconic. The priced solutions that make it easy for branding is typically hyper-consistent, parents to keep their kids healthy.” and copy is minimal. All of these In early 2021, as the San Franciscoprinciples were incorporated into the updated based company got ready to roll out a new line Little Spoon brand, while never losing sight that of preservative-free, cold-pressed smoothies, it it is a product that needs to appeal to parents used the occasion to refresh the packaging for and kids, and celebrates the vibrant, fresh foods all its products, with assistance from its agency and ingredients the brand is known for.” of record, Little Big Brands (LBB). “Critical to the According to Long, a successful redesign is rebrand was reflecting our fresh take in a space a balance of retaining elements that are still that has remained largely unchanged, despite working hard and evolving or introducing new all the ways parents—their standards and their BEFORE designs or graphics that elevate the brand. For Little lifestyles—have evolved,” explains Little Spoon VP Spoon, LBB kept the brand’s hand-drawn logo as well as its turquoise of Brand Marketing & Partnerships Caryn Wasser. “We got started to brand color throughout the structural elements. However, in contrast to truly do things differently, and we wanted to communicate that approach the previous packaging, which featured dainty ingredient icons arranged in our brand ID.” in geometric patterns against a white background, the new branding has According to LBB Partner Pamela Long, despite Little Spoon’s a stronger, more concentrated and vibrant color palette, in addition to staggered introduction of new products, the brand always maintained white. Communication is clean and easy a cohesive look, but the development to navigate, with the ingredients always of the smoothie line provided a clear being hero. The food imagery is still opportunity for the brand to be playful, but now custom-illustrated to more overt in its design. “As they be bold and graphic, rather than using were spearheading a new wave intricate patterns. of innovation, it was the perfect time to “Finding an ownable illustration style was reconsider the brand as a whole and elevate really key to the work,” says Long. “It needed that connective tissue,” she says. to feel fresh and unique and be a style that LBB gathered insights for the redesign using we could see relating to both parents and kids. online research tools to get quick feedback and It couldn’t be too perfect or precious. With a align on design. “Thankfully, many of the folks ton of SKUs and ingredients that needed to be on the client side and agency side are Little illustrated, it also had to have extendability.” Spoon consumers,” Long says. “So we love and Little Spoon’s product lines include its High live this brand ourselves and see firsthand what AFTER Pressure-Processed Babyblends purées, in 38 varieties is working and what isn’t—from the ordering protocol, covering four stages, from Starting Solids to Transition Meals; to the unboxing, to the feeding experience. There is also a growing, Plates nutrient-dense, clean-ingredient meals in 29 options, made for robust online community of Little Spoon parents that we tap into early finger foods through big kid years, in vacuum-packed packaging; regularly; their feedback and experience shapes everything we do.” three varieties of Boosters all-natural, powdered natural remedies and When LBB designed the original Babyblends packaging, the product vitamins—Poopie Power, Sniffle Shield, and Wiz Kid—in stick packs and was sold at retail (see pwgo.to/7550). With Little Spoon’s shift to D2C, a wallet-style carton; and eight organic, cold-pressed smoothie flavors, in LBB needed to consider modern D2C design codes when rebranding. flexible pouch packaging, for on-the-go consumption. The products are “Generally speaking, designing for D2C is different than a brand that will available online through Little Spoon’s website as a single purchase or on live and compete at shelf,” explains Long. “With D2C there just aren’t a subscription basis. PW as many rules. You don’t have to worry about as many competitive

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INDUSTRY WATCH

Companies TricorBraun acquired U.K. rigid packaging manufacturer Neville and More, expanding its presence in Europe as well as globally. It also entered into an agreement to acquire PB Packaging, a whollyowned subsidiary of Pro-Pac Packaging Limited, expanding its presence in Australia. The Massman Companies acquired New England Machinery, Inc. Honeywell and TotalEnergies formed a strategic agreement where Honeywell will supply TotalEnergies with recycled polymer feedstock (RPF) using Honeywell’s UpCycle Process Technology. Gualapack opened a new subsidiary, Gualapack US & Canada, with a sales office in Miami. Stefano Manfredi, Global Marketing and Sales Director at Gualapack, was appointed CEO of the Gualapack US & Canada subsidiary.

People Cama North America added Carl Roeder, Northwest Regional Sales Manager, and Amber Griggs, Southwest Regional Sales Manager, to its sales force. Robert Blassick was appointed Chief Financial Officer for Triangle Package Machinery. Rose Graffin was appointed Chairman of the Board and Président Directeur Général of Serac Holding. Marie Samuelsson was appointed CEO of Ecolean. Daniel Gilbert was appointed President of Placon. Nicolas Ricard was appointed Managing Director of Serac Inc. Kelby Thayer was promoted to Manager of Operations for Distribution Testing for Smithers. Brian Croke was promoted to VP Technology of Enercon Industries. Lenze appointed Tom Mathias President and CEO and Michael Harper Vice President of Sales and Marketing. Lindsey Muchka was appointed Director of Marketing for Dorner. Eriez appointed Eric Nelson Vice President-International Operations and Business Development and promoted Tim Sheehan to Eriez-India Managing Director. Kuka appointed Casey DiBattista Chief Regional Officer of Kuka North America and Vancho Naumovski Vice President and General Manager of Operations for the U.S. Joseph Warakomski was named Chief Information Officer for Romark Logistics. Ken Williams was hired as Service and After Sales Manager for SOMIC Packaging.

EXPAND YOUR NETWORK. REGISTER TODAY! Make connections and expand your network at PACK EXPO International. Being at the show opens up endless possibilities for chance encounters on the show floor, on the shuttle bus, in educational sessions and during roundtable discussions. Visit packexpointernational.com for more information and to register.

October 23-26, 2022 ■ Chicago, Illinois, USA

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Visit the link below each item for more info.

54 PW MAY2022

TECHNOLOGY

Motors Nord’s 3- and 4-HP motors offer a simplified assembly, including the elimination of a copper rotor, as the motors produce the same energy efficiency without it. This change results in reduced costs.

Nord DriveSystems pwgo.to/7536

SCARA Robots Epson adds the T3-B and T6-B All-in-One SCARA robots to its T-Series line. They are designed to simplify automation applications such as packaging, pick and place, dispensing, and inspection.

Case Sealer With belt speeds up to 155 ft/min, Signode’s LDXRTB 4.0 semi-automatic random case sealer features patented technology that enables processing of void-filled and overstuffed cases with a pneumatic top cartridge.

Epson Robots pwgo.to/7483

Signode pwgo.to/7548

CERTIFIED TRAINER C

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Ensure that your team has the skills to become effective and successful trainers with PMMI’s Certified Trainer Workshop – a two-day workshop that teaches essential strategies and tactics to train well across all employee skill levels.

Upcoming Workshops: Aug. 25-26 | Delkor Systems; Arden Hills, MN Oct. 23-24 | PACK EXPO International; Chicago, IL

Learn more at pmmi.org/certified

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AD INDEX Search Packworld.com for additional information on any of the advertisers listed or visit their website directly

Palletizing Robot Yaskawa’s compact five-axis PL80 robot features an 80-kg payload capacity and is designed for a variety of palletizing applications, including case and bag palletizing, depalletizing, layer picking, and layer forming.

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ADVERTISER WEBSITE

PAGE

AmbaFlex Inc. www.ambaflex.com

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Garvey Corporation www.garvey.com

Sanitary Conveyor

General Packaging Equipment www.generalpackaging.com

Dorner’s new AquaGard LP conveyor is designed to fit in tight spaces, making it the ideal sanitary conveyor for dry or wipe-down applications within the pharmaceutical, confectionery, bakery, and other packaged food industries, the company says.

Heat and Control, Inc. www.heatandcontrol.com

IAI America, Inc. www.intelligentactuator.com

Dorner pwgo.to/7546

Krones www.kronesusa.com

Label-Aire, Inc. www.label-aire.com

32, OBC

Material Transfer & Storage, Inc. www.materialtransfer.com

Michelman Inc. www.michelman.com

Modular Conveyor Express www.modularconveyor.com

Nercon Conveyor Systems www.nerconconveyors.com

PMI KYOTO Packaging Systems www.pmikyoto.com

Recyclable Paper Mailers ProAmpac launches the ProActive Recyclable® paper mailers. These curbside-recyclable mailers have up to 70% lower water absorption versus a standard kraft paper mailer.

ProAmpac pwgo.to/7518

PMMI, The Association for Packaing and Processing Technologies www.pmmi.org

7 17, 21, 54

Pneumatic Scale Angelus www.psangelus.com

Regal Rexnord Corporation www.regalbeloit.com

Robatech USA Inc. www.robatechusa.com SIGNODE www.signode.com

Specialty Equipment www.specialtyequipment.com

Spee-Dee Packaging Machinery www.spee-dee.com

Syntegon www.syntegon.com

Coating Head for Hot-Melt Adhesives Robatech’s Vivo 18 allows tear strips to be applied to e-commerce shippers by direct adhesive application. The same application head can be used to cost efficiently produce silicone release liners.

Robatech pwgo.to/7547

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Uline www.uline.com

Valco Melton www.valcomelton.com

VDG www.vandergraaf.com

24a

Weber Packaging Solutions www.weberpackaging.com

IBC

Westrock www.westrock.com/aps

OFC

Yamato Corporation www.yamatoamericas.com

Connect with a Leaders in Packaging supplier and support packaging education!

www.packworld.com/leaders

4/20/22 05:36

56 PW MAY2022

PROFESSIONAL PERSPECTIVE

By Sarah Rosenblum

In-process Package Testing for the Manufacturing Process For many medical device manufacturers (MDMs), it is an accomplishment to bring their packaging and sealing operations in-house. However, when you’re not the expert on a certain process in the medical device packaging supply chain, bringing your sterile packaging in-house can create problems. Systems are available that MDMs can put in place to make sure their sealing and packaging process remains good over time, and one of those is in-process testing. There are three parts to in-process testing, and we’ll look at each one below. 1. Choose the correct test methods for in-process testing. Think about what is happening at your facility during the packaging process. Your operators are gowned up in the clean room, inserting your device into the packaging, and sealing it. Therefore, your in-process testing should be evaluating the sealing process. It is imperative that the sealing process remains good over time and it’s important that the packages being sealed are tested in-process for each lot to make sure there aren’t any weak seals going to market. Choosing the test methods for your in-process testing should be conducted with some thought and planning. The recommendation for determining which test methods you should utilize is to refer to your medical device packaging validations and base your in-process testing off that. Peel strength is a common test method used in packaging validation and is an excellent test method for proving the sealing process is still good over time. While bubble leak is a great package integrity test for the whole package, that test method wouldn’t be great for testing the integrity of the seal. 2. Onboard your test methods. Now that you’ve determined which test method(s) will be part of your production in-process testing, you’ll want to be sure that those test methods are properly onboarded with a test method validation (TMV). Many MDMs perform various package integrity tests for their in-process testing, for example, bubble leak, dye leak, and peel strength. However, it’s not very often that those companies are doing any form of test method validation or that they understand what’s expected when putting those test methods in service. A test method validation is part of the documented process for adopting a test method in-house. The TMV is intended to demonstrate that the method can be performed with repeatability and reproducibility and that the results obtained from the test are reliable. The TMV may include installation qualification (IQ) and calibration of equipment, training personnel to the method, conducting gage R&R

studies, and establishing methods for quality control and verification. Often MDMs perform in-process testing but do not have the correct documentation or training to ensure quality and reliability when performing that test. This creates the potential risk for a package with a defect to pass through inspection, which could cause potential harm to the end user. Having a well-documented TMV allows for clients to be considered validated to perform in-process testing on their packaging. 3. Onboard a test method for in-process testing. There are typically three phases for onboarding a test method for in-process testing: installation qualification, conducting the test method validation, and ongoing training. Following are considerations for each phase. 1.) Installation qualification: a. The IQ is the first phase, which involves verifying that the equipment needed to perform the test is properly installed and calibrated, and that it operates as intended. b. During this step, you want to assure that you have all the components to the equipment in place and are reading the manual to understand how to properly operate the machinery. 2.) Conducting the test method validation: a. Develop the TMV plan and author the TMV protocol. b. Train personnel to the equipment, the test method, the protocol, and any applicable work instructions. c. Execute the TMV study and analyze the results to determine effectiveness and reliability. 3.) Ongoing training: a. Once the test method has been validated at your site, eventually, additional operators will be needed. They will need to be trained and validated to the test method. Later, they will require periodic retraining. b. You’ll want to be sure multiple people are trained to perform the test to account for staff turnover, shift changes, etc. c. Create a schedule to ensure there are continual trainings and to stay informed about updates to the test method standards. This three-part approach to in-process testing should get you on your way toward assuring that your sealing and packaging process remains strong over time. PW

The author, Sarah Rosenblum, is Senior Director of Sales & Marketing at Packaging Compliance Labs. She is the Communications Chairperson on IoPP’s Medical Device Packaging Technical Committee. For more information on IoPP, visit www.iopp.org.

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The Future of High-Speed Labeling When you need mission-critical labeling systems that will be reliable, cost-effective, and easy to use, you need a partner that you can trust. Weber is introducing new high-speed print-apply labeling systems that have the features you want like powered servo-controlled rewinders, vision label alignment, variable height labeling, and efficient modular design. We provide turn-key labeling solutions that, whether locally or globally, can change labeling nightmares into labeling dreams. With experience in just about every industry, we make sure you succeed in getting your product labeled correctly. Weber Packaging Solutions is a family-owned labeling company that has been helping customers look their best for 90 years.

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