Creative flexible packaging solutions earn praise

Drawing on the myriad benefits of flexible packaging, the winners of the 1997 Top Packaging Awards improved product protection and consumer convenience, reduced costs and material use and delivered innovations to the marketplace.

Sponsored by the Flexible Packaging Association, the annual competition honors the efforts of flexible packaging suppliers in providing customers with resourceful solutions to their packaging challenges. This year, eight packages were selected by a panel of six judges from industry, academia and the packaging trade press:

1 Rollstock with a pre-applied horizontal (transverse) zipper from Pac One Inc. (call (507) 665-6658 or Circle 237) lets Tyson meet the consumer's demand for resealable packaging, while minimizing its production costs and material waste. Designed for club stores, bulk bags are produced on existing form-fill-seal machines; and potential leaks due to incomplete seals are eliminated because the zipper is not in the seal area.

2 PET/nylon/linear low-density polyethylene lamination protects Alaskan Ice Melt from moisture and oxygen, as well as from tears and punctures. Designed for outdoor use in cold temperatures, the ShakerPAK from Kapak Corp. (call (800) 527-2557 or Circle 238) has a perforated bottom gusset hole pattern and zipper that enables the product to be cleanly and evenly dispensed and then resealed.

3 Three Dimension Preform Foil Barrier Bag from LPS Industries (call (800) 275-6577 or Circle 239) protects large and costly convection reflow ovens--used to manufacture printed circuit boards--from moisture. A pre-cut foil sheet is layed on the bottom of a shipping crate. The oven is placed on top and bolted down using O-rings and caulked seals to maintain an air-tight fitting. Desiccants are strategically positioned and the pre-made bag is then put over the oven and heat sealed to the base sheet. Evacuating air creates an air-tight environment that ensures product protection.

4 Also the Green Globe winner for environmental achievement, Garden Tech Singles[TM] unit-dose packets of super concentrated insecticides, fungicides and herbicides realize a 97% source reduction over conventional rigid plastic containers and a 95% source reduction for secondary (shipping) packaging. The 3 x 5-inch packets from Star Packaging Corp. (call (404) 763-2800 or Circle 240) also allowed Garden Tech to increase line speeds 445% for greater productivity.

5 High-quality, easy to use and cost-effective packaging for medical devices consists of a new coextruded peelable sealant film from Perfecseal, A Bemis Co. (call (800) 999-7626 or Circle 241) that seals to uncoated Tyvek over a wide range of sealing temperatures. It offers visual verification of seal integrity and eliminates many problems encountered with uncoated Tyvek and conventional films, such as a ratchety peel, uneven bonds, Tyvek delamination and fiber pick-off. Using uncoated Tyvek saves significantly over conventional Tyvek/film combinations.

6 The paper/poly/foil/poly lamination packaging for DuPont's Manzate 200 agricultural chemicals is up to three times stronger than conventional paper/foil bags and meet U.N. shipping/packaging regulations for strength. From American Packaging Corp. (call (215) 698-4800 or Circle 242), the new high-barrier flexible package uses 43% less raw materials than conventional bags and runs on standard square-bottom bag filling and sealing equipment.

7 The first large-size flat-bottom flexible box in commercial production for Hill's Science Diet pet food is created on a high-speed vertical form-fill-seal machine from UVA-Butler (call (804) 275-8067 or Circle 246). The proprietary laminate film from Printpack Inc. (call (800) 451-9985 or Circle 243) provides the necessary barrier properties for improved product protection over the multi-wall paper bag it replaces, as well as reduces overall packaging costs by 20% and packaging material weight by 50%. Hermetic seals help extend shelf life; reduce the possibility of infestation; and open up opportunities for unique product formulations. Removing air from the headspace adds rigidity and stackability to bags which are palletized and shrink wrapped: no secondary packaging is used.

8 The flexible package for 3M's Press-In-Place Silicone Gasket Strips from Flexicon Inc. (call (847) 639-3530 or Circle 244) uses a combination of coextruded materials with unique top and bottom web sealant layers that ensure a hermetic seal, which is necessary to protect the product from moisture immediately after production until time of use. Packages are easily peeled open.

For more information from the Flexible Packaging Association, call (202) 842-3880 or Circle 245.

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