Corrugated Containers Serve & Sell
- Published: December 01, 2001, By Claudia Hine, Senior Editor
Independent corrugator and sheet plant manufacturers apply a high level of skill and sophistication to create packaging that promotes and protect its contents. Innovative use of corrugated is rewarded biennially by the Assn. of Independent Corrugated Converters (AICC) in the International Corrugated Packaging Design Competition.
This year more than 50 awards were presented in 17 diverse categories at AICC's annual meeting, held October 10-13 in Vancouver, B.C., Canada.
For more information contact AICC, 113 S. West St., Alexandria, VA 22313; 703/836-2422; www.aiccbox.org.
Judges' Choice
The Strive Group, Chicago, IL, earned the Judges' Choice award for a single-unit gift box for Schwarz Worldwide's Cuervo line. This entry won first place in the Direct Print on Combined Board Using Offset Printing Processes category.
The outer surface of the box was printed on a MAN Roland six-color press. Created to eliminate contamination by ambient dust in the retail environment, the design features a tamper-resistant bottom crash-lock seal and a dust-proof top tuck. It was shaped on a Bobst platen die-cutter and glued on a Post automatic folder/gluer.
People's Choice
B&L Packaging, Dayton, OH, won the People's Choice award, and the Independent's Choice in the Innovative Structural Design — Industrial Focus category, for its Ford Think entry created for Hydo Aluminum Wells.
This package was designed to accommodate two sizes of an electric car frame, to be shipped double high to minimize shipping costs, and to protect the parts from damage. B&L Packaging used a Hooper letterpress, Pioneer flat die-cutter, and Crittenden stitcher to manufacture this package.
Innovator of the Year
Curioni USA, Oak Forest, IL, captured the most votes from attendees to earn the 2001 Innovator of the Year award for its Extend-O-Slot system. It allows printer-slotter and flexo/folder/gluer operators to extend the maximum length of skip-fed sheets through the machine beyond the normal slotter repeat by controlling the revolution of the slotter.
Corruguated as a Retail Product
Liberty Carton Co., Golden Valley, MN, took first place in the Corrugated as a Retail Product category for Adventure Products' Wild Bird Buffet. Goals for the project included a finish that allowed for full-color graphics, tabs that sealed tightly to avoid grain spills, and the ability to accommodate the punch-in feeder port, designed to keep rain and snow out of the carton. Liberty used a Langston corrugator, Automatan laminator, Bobst flat-bed die-cutter, and Post folder/gluer to make the product.
Structural Design, Consumer
Wil-Mac Container Corp., Conyers, GA, took home the first place award in the Innovative Structural Design — Consumer Focus category for Farm Fresh Products' 20# package.
Looking for strong structural and graphic appeal, the customer wanted to draw consumer attention and entice buyers. The highlight of the design, created by Wil-Mac's graphics department, is the illusion the tomato clusters are jointed on all sides when the product is viewed on a pallet. Wil-Mac used a Hycorr rotary die-cutter to manufacture the package.
