Holzmanufaktur Liebich’s handmade wooden box for Jägermeister liqueur, sykell’s cloud-based SaaS software for returnable packaging, dotch’s reusable glass bottle for edible oils, and many more have been named as winners of the German Packaging Institute’s German Packaging Awards 2024.
Design
In the Design category, Holzmanufaktur Liebich was awarded for its custom-designed wooden box for an exclusive Jägermeister, handmade from wood thought to be felled 2 kilometres from Jägermeister’s production site in Wolfenbüttel.
An on-pack QR code and a code number on the lid of the bottle traces the origin of the original beech tree. Individual inlays display the serial number according to country.
Each box has four snap fasteners, five individual screen prints on three sides, and is painted in the brand colour. The jury praised it as ‘elaborate secondary packaging’ with a ‘clever overall concept’ and ‘unusual bottle branding’.
Achertäler Druckerei found success with its wrapping tissue paper with crease-resistant hot-foil embossing. Targeted at premium products, the hot-foil stamping is set to enable high-quality offset, flexo, and screen-printing processes, which have not been possible previously.
According to the jury, the packaging reflects the exclusivity and quality of a premium product, reinforces brand messaging, and becomes part of the luxury experience.
Design agency brandpack was commended for its packaging concept, structural design, and graphic design for smart thermostats and accessories. The tado smart home packaging concept combines a carton, inlay, and sleeve to combine a ‘highly flexible and intelligent structure’ with a ‘good brand design’.
The yellow circle brand element emphasizes the grip hole, the jury says, and also acts as a passepartout for a product display. Its materials are describes as both premium quality and sustainable, with the cardboard inlay doubling as a template to adapt to different heating systems.
Tubex and DFNS’ aluminium spray can is geared towards footwear protection, yet its material, colours, white space, and contoured shape are thought by the jury to make it compatible with technical and cosmetic products.
A deeply embossed groove around the circumference ‘creates a highlight level’ and communicates that the pack works with 100% compressed air.
The final winner under Design is Berndt+Partner Creality with its 100% recycled corrugated cardboard packaging for garden tools. The EcoLine product line utilizes water-based colours in its packaging, which ‘harmonize with the product’. A ‘minimalist and natural’ design reinforces its sustainability goals and distinguishes the product from the standard range at the point of sale.
Digitalization
Under the Digitalization category, sykell’s Circular ERP cloud-based SaaS software aspires to manage deposit and returnable systems. Apparently, it can map bottles, moulded trays, and a range of other primary and secondary packaging.
It integrates various third-party providers, including logistics partners and cleaning companies, in a bid to unlock efficient operations across the supply chain and help companies transition into a circular economy.
Scribos, a Kurz company, was rewarded for its smart honey packaging prototype with copy protection. It brings together a range of digital and analogue components to protect against counterfeiting.
Customized with QR and letter codes in a digital printing process, the pack enables end users to verify a pack’s authenticity and access other information by scanning it with a smartphone. As such, it can track and trace products without needing to install a separate app.
Functionality and Convenience
Henkel’s Loctite 55 thread sealing thread dispenser for pipe connections combines applies an attached closure to the dispenser can. In theory, this prevents the lid from getting lost during use and extends the shelf life of the pipe-sealing cord inside.
A customer survey revealing consumers’ desire for a more user-friendly pack inspired the design, the jury explains. The mono-material used to produce the packaging, as well as the possibility of one-handed use, were highlighted in this design.
Meanwhile, Packsys provided an eye drop bottle with a special base design for easier application. Another prototype, this product aspires to overcome the mobility challenges facing senior citizens, a common demographic for eye drops. Bellows at the bottom of the bottle are hoped to overcome such roadblocks as the force required to squeeze conventional bottles, which some elderly people may not be able to apply.
According to the jury, the packaging enables simple dosing and standardizes droplet size.
Maik Bermeitinger’s Magic-B lock high-barrier storage box is another prototype, but it intends to protect children by requiring an authentication card to open and close. This is provided on the front of the box, with the opening and closing process signified by an audible click.
For the purposes of the competition, the storage and presentation box was designed for a fictional e-cigarette brand. The jury praised its intelligent safety mechanism, especially in the context of e-cigarettes, liquids containing nicotine, and upcoming German legislation relating to cannabis.
Smurfit Kappa was recognized for Can Holder, its plastic and glue-free cap rings made of corrugated cardboard. Designed to replace film packaging, it is said to be easy to handle across its life cycle, from packing to removing the cans; no adhesive is required, it is claimed, and the band remains intact when the cans are removed.
Consumers are expected to feel confident when using Can Holder, as it is designed to secure the cans without letting them slip. The jury also notes that the solution is easy to dispose of.
Logistics and Material Flow
Zell Systemtechnik and Josua Tim Ehmer have been awarded for their workpiece carrier system for modular reusable containers. The jury believes this solution can be used throughout the manufacturing process and work from the blank to the finished product in a single standard – negating the need for reloading.
The systems are modular and customizable to components and production processes in various industries. The process connection adapts standard containers as load carriers, with the carrier system as inner packaging or a self-supporting workpiece carrier; this starts before production and continues through to logistics.
Its holistic approach is commended by the jury, with manufacturers in various industries able to develop sustainability-minded transport systems from over 1,000 standard components. All sub-components are said to be 100% recyclable.
Rajapack’s Grip Taper is an automatic water-activated tape dispenser with a battery and charger. It is portable, battery-operated, and can be used as a hand-held or fixed tabletop device. It can reportedly adapt biodegradable wet adhesive tape to fit the requirements of the packaging process.
It offers a ‘deceptively compact’ design that is believed to match the performance of conventional desktop machines while taking up only around half the space. It comes with a ‘simple-to-fill’ water tank, quick roll change, and individual settings options for belt length and ejection speed.
Grip Taper weighs 2.19kg, meaning it is ‘convenient and ergonomic’ to handle.
A joint project between Der Grüne Punkt, Nestlé Deutschland, and Duo Plast AG (Lauterbach) is highlighted for its plastic stretch hoods. These are intended for transport and load securing for all common pallet formats, and are designed to be future-proof in light of the upcoming Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation.
The prototype stretch hoods feature an overall proportion of 30% post-consumer recycled material, including at least 13.2% post-consumer recyclate from the plastic recycling bin. These figures are anticipated to increase.
Another win for Smurfit Kappa comes in the form of SoftCorner, a corrugated cardboard solution that prevents film covers in pallet packaging from tearing in transport logistics. Described as ‘cost-efficient’, it is said to yield pressure in a controlled way.
During the construction of the transport box, small incisions are made in its corners to enhance their flexibility and prepare them for a more rounded shape. In turn, this means thinner films can be used to wrap the pallets and keep the packaging resistant under real transport conditions.
A reusable glass bottle for pre-packed food, developed by dotch, was rewarded in both this category and the Reusable, Refill, and Deposit Systems category. It is designed to provide a full service.
Manufacturers are provided with new or cleaned reusable bottles to fill with their product; then these are sold to end consumers, who can return the empty bottles to standard deposit machines.
The containers are registered with ‘all’ existing reverse vending machine manufacturers, with suppliers overseeing the handling and logistics process. Therefore, smaller companies can still participate.
A system has already been launched for edible oils and vinegar. According to bottler BIO PLANÈTE Ölmühle Moog, which is already utilizing the solution, each bottle can be reused up to 50 times.
Again, the jury commends the system’s holistic approach, bringing together players across the value chain and building upon existing infrastructure.
Sustainability – Overall Concept
Elanco, Uwe Müller, and Roman Meissner have received a prize for the Seresto pack – new packaging for animal collars to protect against fleas, ticks, and more. The traditional tin can with a PET sleeve has been replaced with a pulp can and cardboard sleeve.
As well as cutting CO2 emissions by around 70%, the pack is said to reduce overall weight and position the packaging upright on the shelf. Its material substitution and energy savings are described as ‘impressive’ by the jury.
Furthermore, Linhardt & Co.’s prototype plastic tube with a TopTube hinged lid is made of 100% PCR HDPE and LLDPE, it is claimed. It claims to be the first tube of its kind in which both materials consist of 100% PCR material; the cap is also described as 100% PCR plastic.
In a closed material cycle, the mono-material tube is thought to be ‘almost completely’ recyclable and ‘in no way inferior’ to the aesthetics or tactile experience of its virgin counterpart.
Tubex’s successful nomination comes in the form of refillable aluminium deodorant spray cans. This is expected to enable around five reuses of the same can, cut down on waste, and promote brand loyalty.
It is reported that the can itself is made from 100% recycled material. 50% of this is sourced from the plastic recycling bin, the company says. Its inner coating is also BPA-free in line with customer requirements and incoming regulation.
In a development expected to cut down on greenhouse gas emissions, its propellant uses compressed air rather than typical mixtures of propane and butane.
Sanpack’s sanstrap re recycled stretch band seeks to secure goods and pallets in intralogistics. It is the ‘first recycled plastic stretch band’, made completely of recyclable PE film and containing 30% post-consumer recyclate without sacrificing any traditional properties. It is therefore set to save CO2 and lower the consumption of raw materials.
Toilet paper packaging made of 50% ‘wild plastic’ – i.e., plastic that has escaped the recycling loop and is re-collected from the environment – was developed in a collaboration between Wildplastic, Goldeimer, WEPA Deutschland, and Bischof+Klein. The jury has selected it as a winner due to its ‘outstanding’ repurposing of plastic waste.
Apparently, it falls in line with both German and European hygiene and safety standards for packaging and can be processed in production partners’ state-of-the-art machines.
Zotefoams’ ReZorce Circular Packaging is still a prototype, but seeks to replace traditional beverage cartons with an alternative made of 100% recycled HDPE. Its patented technology allows a layer to be applied during extrusion, enhances barrier properties, and allows 30-70% mechanically recycled HDPE to be introduced.
Reportedly, HDPE packaging can cut water and energy consumption, and other environmental impacts, by around 50% compared to composite beverage cartons.
Sustainability – Material Reduction
Privatmolkerei Bauer and Constantia Flexibles’ EcoPeelCover thinned lidding solution for polypropylene cup materials claims to ‘significantly’ lessen the amount of aluminium and coating used without sacrificing functionality, barrier properties, or product preservation. Therefore, it is set to facilitate material savings.
WMF’s Grand Wood packaging concept is a prototype geared towards the WMF Grand Wood Knives series. It is made of paper, cardboard, and carton, and aims to phase out the mixture of paper and plastic components in the previous packaging design.
Apparently, it still manages blade and puncture protection with fibre-based materials and allows the consumer to remove the knife ‘comfortably and safely’ from its packaging. It is believes to ‘strik[e] the balance between function, cost and sustainability’ while also being cost-effective, the jury says.
Another prototype comes from Knüppel Verpackung – this one a paper net made from testliner material. Available in different versions, the paper structure retains its protective function by straightening up after impact.
The solution is designed to offer comparable properties to polyethylene foams and enable conventional foam made from expanded plastics to be replaced.
Weber Verpackungen’s ESD Paper Bag is a conductive antistatic bag made of 100% recycled paper. It can also be recycled at end-of-life, the company says.
It is to offer lower volume resistance than most plastic bags and offer permanent discharge capacity, avoiding the “ESD expiry date” of other solutions.
Sustainability – Use of Recycled Material
saperatec has won an award for taking rejects from beverage carton recycling and processing them into rLDPE for flexible packaging. Namely, the new pack is set to package cleaning cloths, although the process is still a prototype.
This is thought to be the first to use LDPE recyclate not sourced from the established film stream originating in plastic recycling bins.
Sustainability – Recyclability
PureWrap PP is a mono-material soft cheese wrapper from LEEB and Dr. Julia Eberhardt. It is said to be made of pure, single-origin polypropylene, consisting of an outer layer and a specially woven, fleece-like layer serving as an air cushion to ensure the cheese keeps maturing naturally. It is also recyclable at end-of-life.
Meanwhile, Wipak Walsrode’s FlexPod – another prototype – is designed to be applied to yoghurt. Described as ‘innovative and disruptive’, it can be made from either PP or PE, does not require the separation of components before entering recycling streams, and can apparently be ‘safely and definitively’ sorted and recycled throughout Europe.
Young Talent
Isabel Uzoagba and Joshua Fritz from the Schwäbisch Gmünd University of Art and Design have won a prize for their Mystery Box watch packaging design. Its ‘innovative and fascinating opening experience’ involves an ‘elegant twisting movement’ at the base of the pack, with the unconventional technique said to highlight the exclusivity of the product inside.
“The combination of functionality and experience makes the Mystery Box a packaging solution fully deserving of its award,” the jury says.
Münster School of Design’s Andrea Reisdorf, Nina Scholzen, Paulina Bulanda, and Luis Felipe Simons Cândido have also been commended for applicaid, their cardboard dispenser designed for quick, convenient, one-handed plasters dispensing.
The jury has praised its ‘organic and handy design language’ featuring small details; the shape of the pack is said to align with its graphics to encourage consumer interaction.
From the same institution, Adrian Breindl, Luisa Rausch, Luka Vogt’s fix it yourself dowel packaging is geared towards beginners with no experience. Its graphic design, including detailed instructions on the packaging, take consuemrs through the process step-by-step, helping them to identify the drilling depth stop for the drill bit and prevent any frustrating mistakes.
New Material
Plantera’s CornPack is made from the residual material corn semolina, which is not authorized for use in the food industry. This solution turns puffed maize grits into protective packaging solutions that can replace polystyrene, cork, and wood.
According to the jury, it resists pressure, impact, and breakage, and offers insulating properties. It is said to be 100% compostable, contain zero microplastics, and does not compete with food or land; it can also be thrown away via the organic waste bin or in household compost.
Secondly, Tubex has worked with PPG Industries to develop an internal coating for aluminium bottles containing wine or wine-based drinks. Previously, aluminium bottles have risked sacrificing the flavour of the beverage; but the new coating is said to have a ‘sensory and visually neutral effect’ when it comes into contact with wine.
Said to offer ‘good workability’, the coating is thought to meet the standards of product protection and food-contact materials. It is also described as being free from BPA and aligning with upcoming EU legislation.
Packaging Machines
Multivac’s prototype Cooling@Packaging system is a vacuum cooling system for bakery products. It is integrated into a thermoforming, filling and sealing machine.
During the packaging process, products are cooled from 95°C to approximately 30°C. This is achieved by the arrangement of vacuum chambers one behind the other in the packaging machine, the jury explains.
Not only is integrating the cooling process thought to save time, energy, space, and costs, but it is set to allow for products to be packed immediately after baking them, improving their freshness and shelf life. The inline solution is also set to improve the reliability of the process.
Syntegon Technology and Crailsheim’s prototype Settle Plate Changer SPC 1000 automates the change of sedimentation plates for passive bacterial count monitoring in pharmaceutical filling machines. It is expected to fall in line with the EU GMP Annex 1 Directive, in which continuous microbiological monitoring must be achieved in pharmaceutical production, while removing the contamination risks and increase in production time associated with manual changeover.
By automatically replacing the plates and having robots seal and collect the samples in the process room, the solution is anticipated to facilitate 24-hour intervals for manual intervention – an 80% reduction, the jury claims.
Product Presentation
In the case of the folding card for the new DuoHM dowel, colordruck Baiersbronn W. Mack and fischerwerke aspire to provide a step-by-step walkthrough regarding its area of application, as well as suitable surfaces and drill bits. It is said to combine all these elements in a small cardboard blank with minimal material use.
Also, it aims to replace dual-material packaging with recyclability in mind.
Meanwhile, Stabilo International and Susanne Werner’s LiLo – Little Loc solution offers a 360° display in the shape of a locomotive, geared towards young children. It holds individual pencils, cases, sharpeners, and placements from the Stabilo brand.
Intended as a non-permanent display for traditional retail, the solution is placed at the height of a child, with a colourful design intended to catch consumers’ eyes at point of sale. The jury highlights the ‘intuitive’ structure of the multi-part design, which is nevertheless ‘comparatively simple’.
Cost Effectiveness
DMK Deutsches Milchkontor and Pöppelmann have injection moulded tubs with In Mold Labelling, designing them for dairy products like curd cheese. The jury explains that the pack uses 20% less polypropylene, save 20% of CO2 emissions, and improves pot volume per transport box by 50% compared to typical market alternatives.
It does so by inserting bars into the inner walls, apparently maintaining its stability without alerting consumers to a drastic design change.
Smurfit Kappa’s Quick_and_Save shipping packaging for solar panels is made of corrugated cardboard. It intends to replace existing, time-consuming solutions with ‘simpler and safer’ packaging, and is already reported to have reduced complaint rates from 10% to ‘virtually zero’.
Whereas five teams of two were previously needed to pack 600 modules a day, now one employee can pack a module in just under one and a half minutes. The solution does not require adhesive tape, the jury adds, which simplifies the unboxing process, negates the need for a tool and also reduce the chances of injury or damage.
Last but not least, Oberland M & V’s Bone Crate is an intelligent, hybrid, returnable drinks crate. Applicable to single and multipack drinks, it is lighter than conventional solutions, designed to reach an ‘optimized’ height and improve overall logistics handling by 20%.
The 24 x 0.33l crate aims to achieve cost-effectiveness by reducing materials, as well as saving time in overall logistics and optimizing transport weight and volume. It is also hoped to deliver ‘significant’ savings in its CO2 footprint.
In similar news, the independent jury has recently announced the finalists of the Sustainability Awards 2024. As ever, our readers are invited to vote in the Readers’ Award category.
The winners will be announced at the Sustainable Packaging Summit, taking place on 12-13th November 2024.
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