CardPak Announces Senior Management Promotions

SOLON, OH – June 22, 2011 – CardPak, the pioneer in developing and manufacturing environmentally sustainable packaging, announced the promotions of four senior managers. Greg Tisone, formerly CardPak’s vice president, general manager, was selected by the Board of Directors to serve as president. Jerry Lamm, previously the company’s chief financial officer, was promoted to vice president, chief financial officer. Tom Weber, director of sales, was promoted to vice president, general manager. Seth Duckworth, recently hired as the central region manager is now the company’s national sales manager. Messrs. Lamm, Weber, and Duckworth report to Mr. Tisone, CardPak president.

CardPak, Inc., the Paperboard Packaging Council and Solon Schools Team Up to Celebrate Earth Day

SOLON, OH – April 25, 2011 – CardPak, the pioneer in developing and manufacturing environmentally-sustainable packaging, donated tree saplings to teach Roxbury Elementary school students about the natural renewability of paperboard packaging. Jerry Lamm, CFO of CardPak (www.cardpak.com), explained, “we’re thrilled to once again have the opportunity to teach elementary school kids in our community about renewable resources like paperboard packaging. The TICCIT program (Trees Into Cartons, Cartons Into Trees, pronounced “ticket”) is a great way to demonstrate how fun and easy it is to take care of the Earth.”

NextLife Packaging Group Announces Partnership with CardPak to Provide Sustainable Paperboard Packaging Solutions

NextLife Packaging Group Announces Partnership with CardPak to Provide Sustainable Paperboard Packaging Solutions

CardPak is the First NextLife Packaging Group Paperboard Packaging Manufacturing Partner

Press release from NextLife - Boca Raton, FL, November 01, 2010: NextLife, a leading provider of sustainable solutions for the consumer packaged goods industry, announced today a partnership with CardPak, a leader in custom engineered packaging designs and solutions for merchandising strategies that utilize carded packaging and specialty paperboard converting. Through the partnership CardPak will become the first carded packaging converter to promote NextLife Packaging Group’s 100% PCR PET blisters for club and warehouse retail packaging.

Worldwide leader CardPak places order for KBA Rapida 106 41" ten-color press

Worldwide leader CardPak places order for KBA Rapida 106 41" ten-color press

Press release from the issuing company

KBA North America, a global press manufacturer based in Dallas, Texas, announces that CardPak, Inc., a leading supplier of packaging products to consumer brand companies across the globe, has placed an order for a new KBA Rapida 106 41-inch ten-color perfecting press with coating tower and twelve-foot extended delivery. The new KBA press is currently being built and will be installed at CardPak's headquarters in Solon, Ohio in mid-November of this year.

CardPak Increases Versatility, Capacity and Efficiency with New Bobst VISIONFOLD

CardPak® Increases Versatility, Capacity and Efficiency with New Bobst VISIONFOLD

Solon, Ohio – (Press Release) – Printer/Packaging manufacturer CardPak, Inc. (www.cardpak.com) has added a new Bobst VISIONFOLD 110-A2 folder-gluer giving themselves greater capacity and versatility, while further streamlining and enhancing the efficiency of their manufacturing operation.

Specializing in creating paperboard alternatives to plastic packaging, CardPak provides their customers with creative packaging solutions that not only give them an advantage on the shelves, but help them meet their goals, and demands of retailers such as Costco and Wal-Mart, of creating “greener” packaging and reducing their carbon footprint.

CardPak + TICCIT Program on Earth Day

CardPak, Inc., The Paperboard Packaging Council and Solon Schools team up on Earth Day

Organizations sponsor TICCIT – the trees into cartons, cartons into trees program for 4th graders at Roxbury Elementary School.

Solon, Ohio – (Press Release) – CardPak, the pioneer in developing and manufacturing environmentally-sustainable packaging, donated tree saplings to teach Roxbury Elementary school students about the natural renewability of paperboard packaging. Tony Petrelli, President of CardPak, and the Chairman of the Board of the Paperboard Packaging Council, explained “we’re thrilled to once again have the opportunity to teach elementary school kids about paperboard as a renewable resource and its recycled potential.

CardPak Wins Local Awards

CardPak Wins Local Awards

Recognized for Commitment to Workforce and Community

Solon, Ohio – (Press Release) – CardPak, Inc., a supplier of innovative packaging products to consumer marketing companies, invests a great deal in its workforce, and it’s not all about capital improvement. The company is consistently recognized for its commitment to being a great place to work and a strong member of the local business community.

Sustainability Leader Discusses Innovation at 2009 Environmental Expo

SOLON, OH – (Press Release) Nicholas Rumanes, vice president of development for the Las Vegas Sands Corp., spoke at the 2009 Environmental Expo: An Education in Sustainability dinner during CardPak Inc.’s annual Pack Expo event at the Palazzo Resort in Las Vegas, Nevada. CardPak is a leading manufacturer of environmentally sustainable packaging products, headquartered in Solon, Ohio.

The dinner attracted nearly 125 attendees, representing some of the pre-eminent retailers, consumer packaged goods companies, packaging manufacturers, contract packagers, educators, media and packaging trade associations nationwide.

5 Secrets of My Success: Tony Petrelli

5 Secrets of My Success: Tony Petrelli
Secrets of my success from legacy winner Tony Petrelli, president and COO of CardPak.
By Eric Broder

When Tony Petrelli joined CardPak in 2006, the company was facing plenty of financial challenges.

During its 44-year history, the paperboard packaging firm had weathered much adversity, including a flood in 1994 and a 1996 fire that destroyed the company’s equipment and forced it to temporarily close. CardPak was rebuilt in 1998, moving from Cleveland to its current Solon digs.

CardPak Leads in Environmentally-Sustainable Packaging

CardPak Leads in Environmentally-Sustainable Packaging
As the printing and packaging industries adopt green initiatives in manufacturing processes, CardPak leads in its initiatives.

CardPak Inc., a manufacturer of environmentally sustainable packaging products, was an early proponent of the "green" movement, and offers a complete line of packaging solutions that reduce the amount of total materials and plastics used in retail packaging, thereby reducing the company's, retailers' and end-users' carbon footprints.

"We are very dedicated to the growing movement to protect the environment," said Tony Petrelli, president, CardPak. "Aside from manufacturing our products with recycled renewable and/or sustainable materials, CardPak also has adopted a lean manufacturing strategy which reduces manufacturing waste and recycles scrap fiber waste, while reducing energy consumption in our manufacturing processes."

Taking that a step further, CardPak is joining with the Solon schools and the National Paperboard Packaging Council in sponsoring the Trees Into Cartons, Cartons Into Trees Program. TICCIT (pronounced "ticket") is an outreach and education program highlighting the natural renewability and sustainability of paperboard packaging. And at the center of TICCIT is a mainstay of the typical school day: the milk carton.

As part of TICCIT, milk cartons are collected out of schools' waste streams and re-used for planting new trees. Seeds and saplings are planted in the cartons, and then the new "carton-and-tree units" are planted in the ground. The cartons provide protection and a natural "water funnel" for the new trees. As the trees grow, the cartons break down, completing the trees into cartons, cartons into trees cycle.

The company's environmental efforts have not gone unnoticed. CardPak recently received an "Evolution of Manufacturing" Award from Smart Business Cleveland magazine. The magazine recently honored 15 innovative Northeast Ohio companies who have adopted "green" initiatives in their manufacturing processes.

"We are very proud to receive this honor, and we are grateful that our efforts in environmental manufacturing processes and products are being noticed," Petrelli added.

-- CardPak Inc.

New CardPak website

After a period of redesign, the new www.CardPak.com is now live!

There are still more additions & features coming soon to the website, so visit frequently, but this is a great upgrade and reflects the corporate direction and sustainable focus that CardPak continues to integrate.

-- CardPak Inc.

Smart Business Cleveland - Sustainable Manufacturing

CardPak president, Tony Petrelli, was featured for the cover story, 'Sustainable Manufacturing', in this months Smart Business Cleveland...

A care package for the future
How Tony Petrelli keeps CardPak Inc. focused on practicing sustainability
Smart Business Cleveland | February 2009

Tony Petrelli is proud of the awards that CardPak Inc. has received for producing packaging that is both durable and environmentally friendly. But it’s not accolades that Petrelli seeks through the company’s commitment to sustainability.

Rather, Petrelli hopes employees, clients and any other stakeholders who come into contact with CardPak see the company’s passion for doing what it feels is right and applies that to its actions.

CardPak has developed numerous sustainable packaging concepts that address the concerns of major retailers regarding source and material reductions as well as recyclability requirements.

The company’s EcoLogical Line of Packaging has been created to remove significant amounts of packaging materials from the waste stream and use 100 percent recycled materials when possible.

Petrelli believes it is his responsibility, as well as that of his employees, to carry on the company’s history of finding the safest and most efficient way possible to manufacture its products.

CardPak is able to create products that reduce the amount of total materials used while providing consumers with a better package for protecting and dispensing the products they buy.

It’s not just the products that CardPak manufactures, however, that reflect the company’s commitment to sustainability. By using more efficient lighting in the company’s plant, energy consumption and carbon dioxide emissions were trimmed by more than half, saving a potential 600 barrels of oil per year.

The company also has adopted a lean manufacturing strategy that reduces in-plant manufacturing waste by more than 2 percent per month, reducing the amount of paperboard waste going to the landfill or having to be collected for recycling by close to 350 tons annually.

At the same time, the company is able to collect and provide more than 2,700 tons of fiber waste per year for use in the manufacturing of recycled paperboard for future packaging products.

So when the company was honored at the Environmental Printing Awards in Toronto last February, CardPak employees were gratified at the recognition. But the awards do not so much represent a goal achieved as much as a reinforcement of the company’s commitment to the future stake-holders of a community we are all a part of: the Earth.

-- CardPak Inc.

Field Guide to Sustainable Packaging

"The Field Guide to Sustainable Packaging is a meaningful and motivating source of information that is filled with real-life examples and success stories. A 'must read' for both veterans and newcomers to the packaging development process." --Brad Menees, Vice President--Technology and Development R&D, Campbell Soup Company

"One of the greatest challenges facing companies looking to advance the sustainability of their packages is the absence of guidance and inspiration. Steve Sterling's Field Guide offers a practical resource for better understanding the fundamentals of sustainable packaging and learning from the experiences of others. Whether you're starting out or you're a seasoned veteran on the journey to sustainability, this book is a valuable read." --Scott Vitters, Director Sustainable Packaging, The Coca Cola Company

"Sustainability is a dynamic force in the packaging world--it cannot be ignored. As a catalyst for change, sustainable packaging will serve as a new and exciting source of innovation for all of the constituents in the packaging value chain for years to come. Sterling's Field Guide to Sustainable Packaging serves as an excellent information source for both the novice and the experienced practitioner." --Jay L. Gouliard, Vice President--Global Packaging, Unilever

From the publishers of Packaging World - Field Guide to Sustainable Packaging:

Now in its second printing, this acclaimed resource explores the origins and definition of sustainability and offers actionable strategies, inspirational success stories and essential resources for your company to begin or continue your journey towards sustainability. Inside this 70-page volume you’ll find:

* interviews with high-level professionals who have successfully realigned their corporate goals to integrate sustainability

* practical case histories offering real world models

* timely insights into the Wal-Mart Scorecard, including an exclusive Packaging World interview with Sam's Club's Director of Packaging

* a wealth of resources to use, as you develop or improve your company’s environmental stewardship strategy.

-- CardPak Inc.

Consumers Still Buying Green...

Consumers Still Buying Green Despite Economic Downturn, Says Study
Research shows that 82 percent of shoppers continue to seek eco-friendly products

Four out of five people say they are still buying green products and services today—which sometimes cost more—even in the midst of a U.S. recession.

A new study commissioned by Green Seal and EnviroMedia Social Marketing and conducted by Opinion Research Corporation reveals peoples’ opinions and behaviors about products that claim to be environmentally friendly.

Half of the 1,000 people surveyed say they are buying just as many green products now as before the economic downturn, while 19 percent say they are buying more green products. Fourteen percent say they are buying fewer environmentally green products.

Other key findings in the new research conducted by telephone in a random-digit-dial sample:

Brand Reputation Matters More Than Ads
Twenty-one percent (21%) of consumers say a product’s reputation is the biggest factor they weigh when making purchasing decisions followed by word of mouth (19%) and brand loyalty (15%). Just 9 percent say green advertising is their primary influencer.
More “Green Claims” Education Needed

About one in three say they don’t know how to tell if green claims are true.

One in 10 consumers blindly trusts green product claims.

Consumers are verifying green claims by reading the packaging (24%) and turning to research (going online, reading studies; 17%).

What Consumers Say Versus Do
While 87 percent of people surveyed say they recycle, the Environmental Protection Agency reports just 33 percent of our waste is diverted from landfills.

The other things people do are look for minimally packaged goods (60%) which is statistically tied with buying green cleaning products (58%). Buying green personal-care products came in at 31%.

"This research suggests that consumers are buying green products second only to participating in recycling,” said Arthur Weissman, Ph.D., Green Seal's President and CEO. "This increased consumer demand sends a signal to manufacturers to produce products that are truly green.”

Green Seal, an independent nonprofit product certification organization, and EnviroMedia Social Marketing are releasing the research today from the first-ever Greenwashing Forum in Portland. The forum, hosted by the University of Oregon, was inspired by the Greenwashing Indexsm (www.Greenwashingindex.com), which was launched in January 2008 by EnviroMedia and the UO School of Journalism and Communication. Since the popular watchdog Web site was founded, consumers in 138 countries have been posting and rating ads to “out” greenwashers and showcase companies that employ sound environmental marketing efforts.

“There’s a real opportunity for authentic green marketing, despite the tough economy,” said Valerie Davis, EnviroMedia Principal and CEO. “This research proves people want to do what’s best for the environment, but it needs to be easy and accessible. Companies should be clear about the environmental benefits of their products and services and make sure what they claim in the TV ad is backed up consistently on product packaging and on the Web site.”

Sources: Green Seal; EnviroMedia Social Marketing

-- CardPak Inc.

What’s the Score?

What's the Score?
As they say, you can't tell the players without a scorecard!
By Tom Polischuk (PackagePrinting.com)

Wal-Mart has clout—there’s no doubt about that. When Wal-Mart speaks, people listen—especially its suppliers.

The company created a real buzz for RFID a few years ago, when it announced that it was mandating the use of this technology from its suppliers. Although this effort has faded from the limelight and has been largely redefined in scope, RFID technology received more attention during a two-year period than it would have gotten in a decade. RFID technology still has a ways to go in terms of reliability and cost, but Wal-Mart’s initiative probably did a lot to advance its development.

Before the dust had a chance to settle on its RFID efforts, Wal-Mart took on another noteworthy initiative—sustainability. In September 2006, the company announced that it would institute using a Packaging Scorecard with its suppliers to help the company meet its commitment to reduce the use of packaging materials across its global supply chain by 5 percent by 2013.

The Scorecard, unveiled at Pack Expo 2006, is based on metrics for how packaging impacts sustainability factors throughout many aspects of the entire supply chain. They were developed over many months by the Packaging Sustainable Value Network, a group of 200 suppliers, experts, and other Wal-Mart stakeholders. These metrics and their Scorecard weighting factors are: greenhouse gases/CO₂ per ton of production (15 percent); material value (15); product/package ratio (15); cube utilization (a measure of storage efficiency in warehousing and shipping trailors/containers, 15 percent); transportation (10); recycled content (10); recovery value (10); renewable -energy (5); and innovation (5).

The Scorecard has been in various stages of use and implementation since its introduction. Even before it officially went online in February 2008, Wal-Mart reported that more than 97,000 products had been entered into the Scorecard by more than 6,300 vendors.

Diamond Packaging and CardPak are just two package printers that have been actively involved with the Scorecard and have been experiencing its impact firsthand.

Diamond Packaging has been proactive on the sustainability front for a number of years now, having committed to the use of renewable wind energy, and started a program called the greenbox initiative to develop and implement sustainable packaging solutions for its customers.

Dennis Bacchetta is director of marketing for -Diamond Packaging. Although he believes that sustainability has gained a great deal of traction from “a confluence of legislative, corporate, and consumer interest,” he also says that the Wal-Mart Scorecard has done its part in raising the stakes.

“Wal-Mart’s Packaging Scorecard tool has helped put the concept of sustainable packaging in the forefront of many companies’ and consumers’ minds, and thus been a key driver in trying to understand what sustainability truly is,” he says. “As a result, many consumer product companies [CPCs] have requested information on sustainability, including our efforts to design more eco-friendly packaging, and our experience with the Wal-Mart Packaging Scorecard tool. We anticipate that as sustainability continues to grow in the public and corporate awareness, it will become ingrained in our corporate and social structure.”

David Himmelein, regional sales and marketing manager for CardPak, also recognizes the impact that the Scorecard has made and the opportunities that it presents to his company and others. “The Packaging Scorecard is one of the first tools of its kind to judge the entire package that hits the Wal-Mart shelves,” he notes. “This has been beneficial to CardPak because our EcoLogical Line of Packaging eliminates the harmful PVC plastic clamshells from the waste stream. The scorecard now gives us an opportunity to measure the differences in the original packaging and our solution.”

The ability to provide a tangible measurement system lies at the heart of the Scorecard’s value to its users. When something can be measured, it can be improved. “The value we get from the Wal-Mart Packaging Scorecard is that it provides measurable evidence that our designs have increased a package’s sustainability,” says Bacchetta.

CardPak uses the Scorecard as an additional sales tool in its arsenal, and performs mock-Scorecard analyses to show the impact that its packaging system has when compared to traditional clamshell alternatives. “This information is then presented to our customers for them to use in making their decisions on the engineering of each product package. They are well aware of Wal-Mart’s objectives for the Scorecard, so will want to have the best possible score for each package,” notes Himmelein.

It is not surprising that Himmelein reports all of CardPak’s customers that sell to Wal-Mart are involved with the Scorecard in some form. To provide a value-added service to its customers, CardPak hosted an exclusive training event early in 2007 with ECRM and Mars Packaging that allowed its customers to get answers to their questions concerning the Scorecard.

Bacchetta notes that even companies that do not directly supply Wal-Mart have been impacted by the Scorecard due to increased sustainability awareness. “They see it as an opportunity to support a sustainable use of resources and cultivate a positive emotional connection to their brand,” he says.

Diamond Packaging has used the Scorecard for many customer projects. One in particular—done for a well-known personal care company, says Bacchetta—rated various products and developed a plan for redesigning their packaging based on weight, environmental impact, and material. “We then scored the new packaging to ensure that, when compared to the existing packaging, it resulted in a score improvement,” he explains.

CardPak successfully implemented a redesign for the packaging of GE’s compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs) that are carried in Sam’s Club stores, says Himmelein. “The original package was in a PVC clamshell, and scored a 3.5. By switching to the ClubPak™ style, we were able to more than double the scorecard value to a 7.5.”

Of the Scorecard’s nine metrics, both Himmelein and Bacchetta agree that a package printer can have the greatest impact on the product/package ratio.

In CardPak’s case, the traditional PVC clamshell is a prime target. “Oftentimes, the overall weight and size of the clamshell is too much,” says Himmelein. “We have reduced the footprint of the package and removed up to 85 percent of the plastic materials, resulting in a better score for this particular metric.”

According to Bacchetta, reducing the weight of a package can impact several areas in the Scorecard’s metrics, including conserving raw materials and energy, reducing greenhouse gases, and minimizing discards. “This can be achieved through careful material selection, reduced board usage, and the elimination of components (e.g., thermoform and shrink wrap).”

Another area of focus for package printers is cube utilization, says Baccetta. “However, this requires a higher level of collaboration with other partners throughout the supply chain (marketing/sales, distribution, retailer, etc.) in an effort to reduce material and energy usage, and maximize shipping efficiencies.”

Going forward

Since it was first announced in 2006, Wal-Mart’s Packaging Scorecard has made a significant impact throughout the consumer products arena. Last November, Wal-Mart again used Pack Expo as a forum to announce evolutionary changes to the system.

In a keynote presentation, Amy Zettlemoyer-Lazar, packaging director, Sam’s Club and co-manager of Wal-Mart’s Sustainability Value Network, reported that the Scorecard’s metrics would be adjusted to increase the focus on greenhouse gas and packaging weight reductions. She also said that in 2009, Scorecard implementation would begin to move beyond the U.S. and include other countries such as Canada, Mexico, Puerto Rico, and China.

For many North American package printers, the Scorecard’s impact has already been felt. Himmelein attributes some of CardPak’s success with its EcoLogical Line to the Wal-Mart Scorecard. “Wal-Mart is the driving force in sustainable package leadership,” he says. “Our customers know this and we, in turn, want to be able to meet our customers’ needs. This is a growth opportunity for us as a company. Two years ago the EcoLogical Line of packaging did not exist at CardPak, and today it is almost 50 percent of our total product mix.”

“The Scorecard has had a positive impact on how we approach our business and our customers,” adds Bacchetta.

With the focus that the Scorecard is receiving from the packaging arena, it appears that Wal-Mart is well on its way to achieving its 2013 goal of a 5 percent reduction in packaging throughout its supply chain.

-- CardPak Inc.

Clamshells Made With Ingeo Prove Sustainable

PackExpo.com / Business Wire (Press Release) - A first-of-its-kind lifecycle analysis finds that clamshell packaging made from Ingeo, a unique biopolymer derived from plants rather than oil, emits fewer greenhouse gases and uses less energy when compared to clamshells manufactured with petroleum-based rPET (recycled polyethylene terephthalate).

The Institute for Energy and Environmental Research (IFEU), Heidelberg, Germany, conducted the head-to-head lifecycle comparison on more than 40 different combinations of clamshell packaging made from Ingeo natural plastic, PET, and rPET. Both Ingeo and rPET clamshells outperformed PET packaging in terms of lower overall greenhouse gas emissions and lower overall energy consumed. Ingeo clamshells clearly offered further advantages over the petroleum-based rPET in numerous comparisons.

"Brand owners and converters will lower the carbon and energy footprint of clamshell packaging by moving away from PET and rPET to Ingeo polymer," said Marc Verbruggen, president and CEO of NatureWorks, the manufacturer of Ingeo. "This is true with today's virgin Ingeo and, in the longer term, recycled Ingeo will decrease that footprint even more. Furthermore, the high performance of Ingeo biopolymer in clamshell applications means that less material may be required to manufacture them " on average 25 percent less."

Representative results of the lifecycle analysis:

The study showed that clamshell packaging consisting of 100 percent rPET emitted 58.6 kilograms of CO2 equivalents per 1,000 clamshells. Ingeo 2005, a representative grade biopolymer in the study, emitted 49.2 kilograms " an overall 16 percent reduction in CO2 equivalents. The Ingeo clamshell was lighter, yet functionally equivalent in terms of top-load strength.

Energy consumed over the lifecycle for 100 percent rPET clamshells was 1.1 gigajoules. This compared to .93 gigajoules for the lighter, yet functionally equivalent, Ingeo 2005 packaging " an overall 15 percent reduction in energy consumed.

"The study found that Ingeo compares favorably with rPET even when a producer chooses not to lightweight a clamshell," said Steve Davies, NatureWorks director of Communications and Public Affairs. "The study also showed that the next generation of Ingeo biopolymer, which will be available in 2009, offers further improvements in eco-profile and clearly outperforms 100 percent rPET in head-to-head comparisons."

Clear plastic clamshells, like the ones analyzed in the study, are often used for fresh produce and foodservice packaging " for example, lettuce, tomatoes, sandwiches, or deli salads. Currently this packaging is not recycled in either the U.S. or Europe. In the U.S. clamshell packaging typically goes to landfills after use, while in Europe this packaging may be incinerated for waste-heat recovery. The lifecycle study took both end-of-life scenarios into account.

For a copy of the full IFEU lifecycle analysis comparing rPET and Ingeo natural plastic clamshells, click here. Brand owners and converters in Europe, the Americas, and Asia who are looking for greater sustainability and performance in bottles, clamshells, labels, and other packaging should visit NatureWorks website to locate the nearest sales office.

-- CardPak

LEED or follow...

This is from this past April, but I thought it was another relevant example of how creative projects can get when an environmental angle is factored into the equation. Lo and behold, sometimes that 'green' aspect takes over and steals the show.

The Santa Monica Civic Center parking garage is the first LEED certified parking garage in the US. The garage provides 900 parking spaces throughout six above ground levels and 1 ½ below ground levels.

Of the 900 spaces, 2% are reserved for electric/hybrid vehicles, and come equipped with public electrical outlets. There is also free bicycle storage available to “encourage alternate transportation modes.”

The structure features roof top solar panels, a storm drain water treatment system, recycled construction materials, and energy efficient mechanical systems.

For more details & photos - click here.

-- CardPak Inc.

Packaging Design Insight from XO Create!

This is the main body from an interview conducted by Packaging Digest (David Bellm) with Jim Stringer, the Creative Director for XO. Jim provides some great substance and insight into packaging, branding, creativity, design, as well as client relations... the whole gamut.

Packaging Design Insight from XO Create!
Packaging Digest, David Bellm

Jim, Do you feel that packagers are getting more sophisticated about branding?
Yes and for good reason. We have all read the statistics about in-store purchase decisions, how long it takes a consumer to make one and so on. These are all true but the real reason packagers have to become more brand savvy is that their product (the package) is on the front line of their client’s battle - the store shelf. The package has for many become the first touchpoint, the first interaction with a brand and it had better speak the right message in the right voice to its audience or they may never interact with it. We are talking about more than slapping a logo on a box as big as you can and calling it branded. These days the shape, the color, the material all must align to tell one concise, succinct story - the brand promise - and we must do it in way that captures our audience and provides a real value in their life. Quite a role for packaging, but one that can be achieved with the right team and the right framing of the project.

What do you feel is the biggest (missed?) opportunity clients have with their packaging?
Telling their story. Delivering on the brand promise or at least starting to clue the consumer in on what the brand represents. Also it's the experience after the consumer gets the package home. Does it store the product well? Was it easy to open? Properly childproofed? What post-purchase value can be designed into the package? Also packaging can be a source of tremendous savings when approached from the right point of view. Can we use less material, fewer inks? different substrates? There are so may variables that go into a package it's no wonder that the right packaging firm can assess the situation and often find ways to shave production costs without sacrificing on the brand or the experience.

What do you see as the most important design trend in packaging in the next five years?
Reduction of materials and sustainability, so start doing your homework! Honestly, these areas are going to continue to be hot and there are a lot of misconceptions out there about what's green and what's sustainable. This leaves us, the packagers and package designers, to learn more and lead the way for our clients in these areas including educating them on the facts.

What do you see as the most worrisome design trend happening in packaging?
Moving packaging design overseas. I certainly understand the reasons behind outsourcing, but often any savings realized is spent on production management (are the colors right, is the substrate correct?) and time getting things back and forth. The bigger issue is if your actual design is outsourced, because more often than not these designers have no concept of our varied cultures and emotional triggers. This often leads to very alien looking design and messaging that leaves the consumer more confused than informed. If you are going to outsource your packing production that's fine as long as you have a qualified person representing the project and it's objectives dedicated to the outcome of the work.

What do you have to educate your clients about the most when it comes to packaging design?
Production. Many of our clients are new to the world of manufacturing, conversion, printing and fulfillment of packaging. It can be quite intimidating when you have no idea where to start or what's involved, but over the years we have become very good at bridging the gap between client and production processes. Of course many times the client has never budgeted for this type of education or production management. Yet when it's all said and done most feel it was worth the extra investment to avoid production pitfalls which can quickly drain a budget.

Describe your approach to redesigning a clients packaging
We first begin by asking the client to write a creative brief describing the general reasoning and objectives that are driving the project. We often help with this brief in areas the client is unsure of or may have difficulty articulating. From this brief we begin to ascertain what areas of the existing packaging may or may not be supporting the desired outcomes. Many times we discover disconnects not necessarily with the packaging but with the product or it's presentation. For example, a client may have a game aimed at adults, yet the colors of the product itself and/or it's packaging may unknowingly cause consumers to see it as a child's product. The copywriting could have the wrong voice, the images could have the wrong art direction, or the client may just being trying to brilliantly solve the wrong problem. This is why we constantly question and circle the project from so many viewpoints; to discover these hidden issues and then design for or around them in order to more clearly articulate the brand or product message.

Is there any kind of packaging that your firm specializes in?
Not particularly since we approach package design as an extension of a brand. We design almost any type of packaging that achieves the client’s objectives, whether it's glass, plastic, toys or appliances. We have a very talented team here at XO Create! and I personally feel there isn't much they can't accomplish. If we were forced to niche I would say most of our work lends itself to the unusual or atypical type of packaging solutions.

What packaging design are you the most proud of?
We are quite proud of all our packaging work, so it's hard to pinpoint any one project. Just about everything we are really proud of is featured on our website - www.xocreate.com under the portfolio section.

What types of projects are the most exciting to you?
Any project that has a genuine objective to reach or problem to solve. For XO Create! packaging is not a form of decoration, it's a real opportunity to communicate on may levels and solve some real issues on both the client and consumer sides of things. When we have a defined goal or objective and are allowed the creative freedom to discover solid solutions, we always get excited!

What kind of packaging would you love to design if you had the chance?
Cosmetics packaging would be exciting! Beauty and style products always seem to have a very high aesthetic and this team could really sink their teeth into those values and produce something exceptional!

Do you work remotely often? (email, web, phone, etc.) Or do you prefer working face-to-face with clients?
We work in any capacity that provides the level of detail and responsiveness the client or project desires. This is often a marriage of all forms of communication and we make sure anyone assigned to a project can communicate with a client about the work.

Which package has more fun – a box of fruit or a bag of candy?
A bag of candy! It's far easier to carry around a bag of jelly beans than a box of kiwi!

If you could be a package for one day, what would you be?
A bottle of high-end liquor - it would be a celebration everywhere I went!

Is there anything you’d like to tell prospective clients?
Hire a good packaging firm, one that can assist with everything from budget and production constraints to branding and emotional touch point creation. Choose them not on the work they have done for others in specific product categories, but on the ground breaking work you believe they can achieve for your unique product or situation. Also, clearly define what you hope to achieve with your packaging and bring your chosen firm in early on in the game, it's their unique problem solving perspectives and experience that you hired them for, not their software skills, so utilize it and allow them the room to do something you would have never thought of. After all, isn't that the reason for hiring professionals?

How can clients get in touch with you?
You can contact me via email at - jim@xocreate.com.

Complete article/interview can be viewed by clicking here.

-- CardPak Inc.

Coke Teams with MSU School of Packaging

Coke Teams with MSU to Create Packaging Innovation & Sustainability Center

Michigan State University (Press Release) - Improving the global sustainability of product packaging took a meaningful step forward with a new collaboration proposed by The Coca-Cola Company and Michigan State University. Coca-Cola awarded $400,000 to MSU’s College of Agriculture and Natural Resources to helpestablish a new Center for Packaging Innovation and Sustainability.

The planned center, to be housed in the MSU School of Packaging, will serve as a think tank for packaging innovation and sustainability and a research and education hub to measure and reduce packaging’s environmental impact. The Coca-Cola grant represents the initiating gift in a campaign to establish the global center.

"The Coca-Cola Company is honored to collaborate with Michigan State University in its quest to bring corporate, academic and packaging professionals together to foster new ideas in sustainable packaging,” said Ingrid Saunders Jones, senior vice president of global community connections for The Coca-Cola Company, “Our company has set ambitious environmental goals to not only deliver quality products, but to also have minimal impact on the environment. Research and work generated through this collaboration with MSU will assist us in reaching our goals.”

The center will involve the MSU colleges of Agriculture and Natural Resources (School of Packaging), Engineering and the Eli Broad College of Business (Department of Supply Chain Management). It will provide a platform for both collaborative, non-proprietary research and proprietary work conducted by industry partners, both in partnership with and independent of MSU researchers, to develop innovative packaging solutions that reduce production costs and improve sustainability.

“The center will offer an entry point for industry to have easy access to MSU expertise. It will serve as a bridge between corporate and packaging industry professionals and university scientists in engineering, packaging, business, the environment and other areas,” said Satish Udpa, dean of the MSU College of Engineering.

“The center will be a clearinghouse that disseminates information and encourages action that speeds the adoption and implementation of sustainable practices.”

“By bringing together university and industry resources in supply chain, packaging and engineering, this center will be able to effectively address issues of sustainability, discover environmentally and economically operative solutions and consider new ways to manage environmental impact throughout the value chain,” said Elvin Lashbrooke, interim dean of the Eli Broad College of Business.

The center will include state-of-the-art technology for bench research and testing of packaging materials and will offer academic, outreach and continuing education programs. It is anticipated to eventually expand its reach internationally through research, development, education and training facilities in Dubai and Shanghai.

“Packaging is ubiquitous throughout the food system and a critical component to the quality, safety and sustainability of the products we buy and eat,” said Jeffrey Armstrong, dean of the MSU College of Agriculture and Natural Resources.

“Coca-Cola’s funding commitment to establish the Center for Packaging Innovation and Sustainability will move us toward an unprecedented level of industry collaboration that will have global implications for improving packaging performance and sustainability.”

Scott Vitters, group director, Global Sustainability for the Coca-Cola Company, will speak during the luncheon program of the Packaging Executives Forum II being presented by the School of Packaging on Jan. 27 at the MSU Kellogg Hotel and Conference Center. A discussion of the Center for Packaging Innovation and Sustainability is also scheduled for the afternoon program. This will be the first opportunity for packaging professionals to meet with the deans of the involved colleges and the acting director of the School of Packaging to learn more about the center and discuss its launch.

Details are available at http://www.packaging.msu.edu.

Established in 1952, the MSU School of Packaging is the first and largest packaging program in the U.S. The school supports the packaging industry through education, research and outreach focused on solving problems and developing improved technology.

Source: Michigan State University / Packaging Digest

-- CardPak Inc.

Sustainability Highlight: EcoHangers

This Sustainability Highlight showcases how a company can make an environmental difference, and yet, in the vein of good business, use innovative marketing and advertising to put a new spin on a 'commoditized' item.

The environmental aspect of this is great, and should be honorably recognized, but it speaks for itself... there is much more to this than just the 'green' side of it.

Despite the higher cost, EcoHanger has been able to change the dynamic and usage of the 'generic metal hanger' by offering a valuable and vibrant billboard to offset the extra costs of being environmentally friendly. A win-win all the way down the line: EcoHanger, advertisers, dry cleaners, and customers of the dry cleaners.

And of course, the environment.

The following was taken from the EcoHangers website:

No new trees are used in making them! They are constructed from 100% recycled paper and are 100% recyclable. And unlike wire hangers, our EcoHangers Media are made from a renewable resource. One that is not depleted when used by people.

In fact, we use tons of recycled paper and create a large demand. This demand actually helps recyclers create programs to reclaim even more consumer waste paper.

In addition, unlike the cheap wire hangers made outside of the United States in low wage factories, our EcoHangers Media are made in EPA regulated plants here in the USA. And those plants conform to OSHA standards as well as local wastewater discharge standards.

• Made from 100% recycled paper and recycled plastic bottle caps
• 100% recyclable and durable enough to be used over and over again
• Produced with our proprietary 4 color printing process and aqueous coating on a special formula of moisture resistant EcoPlyBoard™

Click here for the EcoHangers website
Click here for the article in Packaging Digest

-- CardPak Inc.