On 7-8 October, and for the first time, it opened its doors to Packaging Innovations London 2010. It was, for years, held at Birmingham’s NEC, but the idea was to entice southerners to view the show.
First impressions that it was too ‘large’ prompted a mixed feeling of relief that it was possible to cover the stands in one day, yet mild disappointment that it wasn’t better supported, but I’m sure that will come with time. The calibre of exhibitors certainly gave us some useful meetings.
Our first call was to Pakready, a company offering prototype creativity from 3D design. Aimed at entrepreneurs, it can offer short runs at relatively low cost. From initial concept to cutting table, the idea is to provide a complete service, as most designs can also be scaled up to POS material with little extra work.
We then moved to talk with Henry Barton, packaging production manager of Jenton Banding, who pointed out the huge growth in anti-pilfering products in the packaging sector. Under the slogan ‘Minimize’, the company is using stretch banding in place of plastic bags. It has already carried out a trial for Asda with Fyffes bananas – the banding being used to hold the bananas together. It can also be used to hold boxes shut, and evolved from its initial use on CDs and mail order books (less initial packaging being the main selling point).
See a gallery of images from Packaging Innovations London 2010.
Next, a chat with Justin Kempson of CharBrand made us stop and think. The company produces bubble packs for cakes, using 75% recycled PET (rPET). And although his eyes lit up at the word ‘sustainability’, his most telling comment was regarding food waste: “The most damaging thing you can do is put food into landfill,” he explained, “because of the methane it gives off.”
Currently working with the London Olympic Games Committee, his aim is to spread the word on giving packaging a second life through reuse. Any other purpose is fine, he says. “Just don’t throw it away.”
At the Innavisions stand, with its all-seeing eye logo, we looked at in-mould labelling and dual partition containers, as well as in-car containers for tub2go sweets or mozzarella cheese chunks. Also on display were tubs offering new food suggestions such as ice cubes packed with lemon and lime slices already in the tub (as in ‘Ice and a slice’). It also produces the sealed clear cups for a Stress drink containing lactium and retailing for £13 from Boots. Apparently, the self-medication market is booming.
Richard Bacon of Miller Graphics and Jonathan Moore of Kodak were manning a joint stand to demonstrate the benefits of the new Kodak plate system in giving fabulous images on-pack at competitive cost. Offering 10,000 dpi with square spot technology, preventing oxygen inhibition and increasing solid ink density, the finished pack uses less ink and the process decreases make-ready time by 25% – critical in today’s speed-to-market timeframes.
After a day’s work, enjoying the sunshine filtering through the filigree glazed atrium, we emerged onto London’s busy streets satisfied with seeing sustainable, attractive and achievable solutions for better packaging.
Claire Phoenix is managing editor of Beverage Innovation magazine. Subscribe here.
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