VOLUME 13.1 – 2018

BRANDS TALK SUSTAINABILITY: EXCLUSIVE M&S AND COCA-COLA INTERVIEWS

WHAT ARE THE DEFINING TRENDS OF 2018? SERIALISATION PERSPECTIVES MINIMALIST DESIGN: THE POWER OF SILENCE INTRODUCING THE DIGITAL NOMAD Cover image © Mehmet Gözetlik

Head of Content Senior Account VOLUME 13.1 – 2018 Tim Sykes Managers Kevin Gambrill Editors Jesse Roberts Elisabeth Skoda Libby White Account Manager Dominic Kurkowski Head of Studio Gareth Harrey Executive Assistant Amber Dawson Art Editor Paul Holden-Abbott IT Support Syed Hassan Advertising Coordinator Kayleigh Harvey Data Manager 3 Editorial Tim Sykes Andrew Wood 5 M&S Interview Are we looking at a one-polymer future? 7 2018 Predictions This year’s defining trends in CPG and retail packaging 14 Smart Manufacturing Automation perspectives 17 Innovation Spotlight Pont brings twist to cap design Packaging Europe Ltd 18 Coca-Cola Interview Inside the new sustainability plan Part of the Rapid News Communications Group 20 Pharmapack The future is now Alkmaar House, Alkmaar Way, Norwich, Norfolk, NR6 6BF, UK 23 Bostik What if hotmelt could bring comfort and safety in your plant? Registered Office: Carlton House, Sandpiper Way, 25 Smurfit Kappa On-shelf differentiation in advance Chester Business Park, Chester, CH4 9QE. 28 EUBP Conference review Company No: 10531302. 31 ADF/PCD Paris Counting down to the next edition Registered in England. VAT Registration No. GB 265 4148 96 33 Prosweets Sweet solution 35 Ipack-Ima Ipack-Ima returns with new vision Telephone: +44 (0)1603 885000 Serialisation Editorial: [email protected] 36 The countdown to FMD Studio: [email protected] 37 Leveraging serialisation Advertising: [email protected], [email protected] 38 The CMO point of view 40 Serialisation as driver of digital transformation Website: www.packagingeurope.com 42 A driver of digital transformation

Facebook: www.facebook.com/PackagingEurope 44 Pouches Standing-up to market pressures Twitter: www.twitter.com/PackagingEurope 47 Form-Fill-Seal Forming the future 49 Packaging Innovations Looking ahead to the UK’s largest show 54 Zecher Zecher’s close cooperation with machine manufacturers 56 Inspection Keeping an eye on the line © Packaging Europe Ltd 2018 60 Minimalism The power of silence No part of this publication may be reproduced in any form for any 62 Innovations Warsaw Every pack is important purpose, other than short sections for the purpose of review, without 63 Squid Ink All around expertise prior consent of the publisher. 69 Cosmopack Held in conjunction with Cosmoprof

ISSN 2516-0133 (Print) Worldwide Bologna ISSN 02516-0141 (Online) 72 Digital Nomad Happy new opportunity! Tim Sykes EDITOR

the calendar turns over to January it’s habitual to gaze inquisitively Meanwhile, the clock is ticking as the EU’s Falsified Medicines Directive at the year ahead. In the following pages an array of packag- comes into force in 2019, with the pharmaceutical supply chain still in varying ASing people make their predictions about driving trends across states of readiness. We present a series of perspectives on serialisation: from consumer packaging in 2018. To add my own forecast, it may shock none of practical advice on how to achieve compliance to exploring the opportunities you to suggest that sustainability will again dominate the agenda. Packaging for pharma companies and CMOs to harness their investments in connectiv- waste, and specifically waste, is in the socio-political crosshairs as never ity to add business value. In addition, we share the latest trends in pouches, before, and it seems as though a consensus may be crystallising (driven both form-fill-seal technology, innovations in inspection, speak to the planet earth’s by populism and reasonable concern about a grave problem) that SOMETHING most passionate advocate of minimalist design Mehmet Gözetlik, and review SERIOUS OUGHT TO BE DONE. As an industry, it’s important to state the for the dizzying pace of progress in smart manufacturing as exhibited at Rockwell’s packaging and point out the dangers of kneejerk reaction – but also to ensure latest Automation Fair. we are engaged in joined-up and innovative solutions to the waste problem. Last but not least, I’m delighted to introduce our new, star columnist Richard Long-term, holistic solutions to the and ocean will in Askam – one of the brains behind the groundbreaking Share a Coke campaign fact be a special focus in Packaging Europe throughout the year. We’ll be giving a and the world’s leading commentator on the disruptive influence of digital print platform to the voices that matter on this subject, facilitating a dialogue between on labelling and packaging. From now on you’ll find Richard on the back page of industry and its critics, and shining a light on the innovations in technology and Packaging Europe, doing his own future-gazing and challenging industry to seize systems that can make a difference. Our 2018 Sustainability Awards, scaled up the massive opportunities presented by technology. and with an eminent, independent judging panel, will complement this. We’ll be back with the next edition of Packaging Europe magazine in March. Sustainability features heavily in this month’s edition of the magazine. We In the meantime, keep in touch with the latest developments and innovations by review the recent European Bioplastics conference, where biodegradability was subscribing to our newsletter and connecting on Twitter. much in discussion as an answer to the packaging problem and global brand owners presented their strategies. We also have exclusive interviews inter- Tim Sykes rogating the household names Coca-Cola and Marks & Spencer on their latest [email protected] plans. @PackEuropeTim © Mehmet Gözetlik

Mehmet Gözetlik discusses his minimalised brands on page 60

Packaging Europe | 3 | SUSTAINABLE RETAIL

ARE WE LOOKING AT A ONE-POLYMER FUTURE? The international retailer Marks & Spencer has earned a reputation for proactivity in its sustainability policies. In 2007 the business launched a 100-point sustainability plan, dubbed ‘Plan A’, which over the ensuing decade has seen simplification of the types of plastic used in its private packaging, removed microbeads from its products, introduced a charge on plastic carrier , and optimised packaging – resulting in a reduction in packaging materials in 140 snacking products. Its latest iteration, Plan A 2025 steps up the ambitions, including the One Polymer Road Map and a target that 100 per cent of its packaging is widely recycled. Tim Sykes spoke to M&S’s Kevin Vyse (senior technologist, , and Circular Economy Lead) about the company’s approach to sustainability in packaging and the implications of the latest goals.

IM SYKES: We use packaging smartly to ensure products stay fresh for longer. How does M&S assess and manage the trade-offs in environmental For example, 1gm piece of film can double the life of a cucumber, Tperformance, such as between overall product footprints (including food KV apples and bananas and 5gms of plastic can ensure that a piece waste) and the hot question of packaging waste? of meat greatly improves the quality of the product. By keeping food fresher for longer, customers throw out less food. EVIN VYSE: However, we recognise the enormous challenges, that the current approach We look holistically at everything we do – across our operation, our supply to plastic use globally is causing and see that we have an important part to play Kchains and of course when our customers come to remove packaging in preventing the leakage of plastic into the environment. We’ve already taken and use our products. This includes designing our products and packaging that action in a number of areas – from introducing the 5p carrier charge, and underpin the creation of a circular economy in the markets we serve. removing microbeads from our products significantly ahead of legislation, to reducing the amount of packaging we use. For example, we have saved 75 Given the current heat on in general, how does M&S tonnes of packaging annually by redesigning the packaging for our 140 snack- perceive and respond to public pressure that might not be ing products and will continue to innovate to optimise our packaging design. TS informed by a rounded understanding of the role of packaging and We know there is more to do – that’s why we’ve set a bold target to make all unintended consequences? our packaging ‘widely recyclable’ by 2022, as part of our zero-waste ambition.

Packaging Europe | 5 | SUSTAINABLE RETAIL 2018 TRENDS DEFINING 2018 Packaging Europe canvassed opinion on the trends and technologies that will characterise CPG and retail packaging over the coming year. A diverse group of industry authorities passed around our crystal ball. Here is what they foresaw.

We’re working with policy makers, fellow retailers, manufacturers, local more organisations taking an interest in the future of biopolymers and this will authorities, the and plastics industry, WRAP and the Ellen MacArthur continue to increase. Foundation to develop scalable solutions to prevent the leakage of plastics into the environment. The objective of simplifying down to the use of a single polymer is perhaps the most eye-catching aspect of the M&S Is there merit in considering the proposition of replacing plastics TS packaging material strategy. Given your diverse range of wherever this is viable from a holistic point of view? products and associated packaging applications, it must be a challenge to TS find a single polymer that efficiently delivers all of the necessary properties across rigid and flexible formats. You have previously remarked that the We are always looking into new ways to package products but our selected plastic is likely to be a new structure. What are the prerequisites focus is on making the plastic as light as possible whilst improving of this polymer? KV overall collection and recycling. Plan A 2025 sets a bold new goal to be a zero waste business across all that We’ve already worked hard to reduce the number of plastics we we do – our operations, our supply chains and of course when our customers use in our food business – and now just use three. Our ambition come to remove packaging and use our products. This includes designing our KV is to look at the feasibility of making all M&S own-brand plastic products and packaging to underpin the creation of a circular economy in the packaging from one polymer group, which will help maximise the use of markets we serve. recycled content. By 2022 all M&S product packaging in the UK that could end up with our The polymer needs to be able to be blow moulded, extruded or formed. PET Steve Adams, managing director at James Cropper Simon Edwards, VP sales and marketing at Tonejet customers will be not only ‘recyclable’, but ‘widely recycled’. To achieve this, we already plays a part in our packaging inventory and so it’s a close contender will actively collaborate with others to bring about changes in local government for the role as a single. However, there are some exciting developments in the recycling policy. By 2022, we will also assess the feasibility of making all M&S pipeline that may perform better than PET, PEF (-furanoate) being Sustainability continues to drive innovation cessing them at our plant and using the resulting high quality material to create plastic packaging from one polymer group, which will help maximise the use of one of them. We know that by 2022 there’ll be two pilot plants running PEF. ess is More! There is a clear trend due to the need for sustainable packag- their iconic yellow shopping bags – a unique, closed-loop solution. Arrange- recycled content. We’re looking at all these options too. ing as well as cost efficiency to optimise packaging materials without ments like this help businesses to enhance their brand value by demonstrating Lcompromising food and beverage products. Also the developments of more their commitment to sustainability, while upholding their premium appeal. We were both present at the European Bioplastics conference this year, Is there a role for other stakeholders to play in the specification efficient conversion rates and packaging equipment offers many options now where advantages of bioplastics as a sustainable packaging substrate of the ‘super-polymer’? Do you see an opportunity to multiply the to reduce energy use during the packaging process. Using fewer materials and Steve Adams, managing director at James Cropper TS were discussed in much depth. What do you consider the roadblocks? TS impact of simplification with cross-industry implementation? less energy during packaging production, for higher performance packaging materials without compromising packaging integrity is key. Direct to shape Bioplastics are traceable and allow retailers to provide greater Absolutely. In fact, we are already collaborating around R&D with a Meanwhile, moves to make it easier to recycle flexible packaging will be a key Direct-to-shape digital printing for packaging has generated some of the most visibility of the supply chain. With cheap fossil fuels in the mar- number of groups. This project is a great example of how collabora- driver. Advancing a circular economy in flexible packaging is a clear trend as well interesting and thought-provoking discussions over the last 12 months, and it’s KV ketplace, scalability has been a challenge. However, we’re seeing KV tion is vital for the circular economy. as a challenge: keeping food and beverages arriving fresh to our tables implies certainly one-to-watch as we look ahead to growth markets in 2018. increasing use of more sophisticated multilayer packaging solutions. Work in It serves two key market sectors in my opinion. The first being the mass areas such as barrier adhesives and compatibilisers (offering producers the market where packaging is produced for the average consumer for average rea- option to recycle their scraps) will be important elements in this drive. sons, but the need for small job runs is still an issue due to segmentation or prolif- eration of the variety of images or languages required on the product packaging. Carolina Gregorio, lead marketing manager for Food Packaging at DOW Europe Digital printing is used in this case to free up valuable packaging real estate and produce variations of the same package for different markets or regions. The Upcycling second market sector for direct-to-shape is speciality applications. This is when With the luxury market forecast to grow and the sustainability agenda quite brands utilise the capabilities of digital printing to produce packaging for promo- rightly high in society’s priorities, we expect ‘upcycling’ to take the spotlight as tional or event-based activities. The objective of these activities is to bolster the something that combines the environmentally friendly with the premium. For brand rather than generate huge amounts of revenue. It’s an opportunity to grow example, we’re collecting used cups from Selfridges’ food hall and offices, pro- or maintain market share through brand awareness, often strongly supported by

| 6 | Packaging Europe Packaging Europe | 7 | 2018 TRENDS

Bert Schoonderbeek, managing director, Contiweb Erich Hoch, EVP and CEO, Jabil Digital Solutions resulting social media conversations and, in 2017, we’ve seen more and more modular inline platform that can be easily adapted should be the key investment brands realise the value in this activity and create their own campaigns. for printers who need to meet future changes as market demands become What’s exciting about the year ahead for direct-to-shape is that the technol- increasingly tough. ogy being developed for this area is really coming into its own. Until now, we’ve seen companies talk about direct-to-shape machines for aerosol cans, plastic Bert Schoonderbeek, managing director, Contiweb tubes, cylinders and beverage cans with some claiming to be able to do it all. While that may be technically possible, in reality the cost base may not Brand brilliance at the intersections make it financially viable. Therefore, we’re now seeing machine manufacturers By now the industry is familiar with major trends such as digitisation, multi- focus in on one dedicated application for their technology as the market starts to channel retail and sustainability. For example, there are ample opportunities to settle. The challenge now will be for these companies to put their hypotheses for innovate more secure closures and improve package strength to avoid leakage these machines’ capabilities into the hands of actual brands and start producing and breakage during shipping that would most definitely have a negative effect real products. This requires some creativity on the part of the manufacturer to on the end user experience. get their first machines to market! But overall, 2018 will be a time for clarity Many players are quickly adapting their packaging strategies to address these around these solutions. There will be a real focus on market viability for both familiar trends. Less obvious, however, are the unique opportunities for what the user and the consumer and it will be a time for these platforms to prove Jabil calls “brand brilliance” at the intersections where these trends converge. themselves. Once this has happened, it will lead to a really exciting time for the For example, most brands recognise that online retail outlets are among the sector because the manufacturers can then branch out again, applying their growing number of alternative channels to conventional brick-and-mortar stores. new technology to other applications where it can innovate the supply chain and But digitisation offers more than an online storefront or mobile app to shop for consumer experience once again. the same products we can find on a store shelf. It also allows innovative new packaging to leverage ubiquitous connectivity to spark interactions with other Simon Edwards, VP sales and marketing at Tonejet consumers, retailers, products and brands. Similarly, the versatility of plastic packaging may seem to run counter to the Hybrid print technology rising interest in sustainability. But in many cases, brands are finding unique In 2017 we saw that the world of flexible packaging is further diversifying: while solutions precisely where these two trends converge. Many are answering digital printing is becoming more important, however, for wider web applications, the call for more sustainable packaging by making more use of advanced it is still a costly way of printing. Printers and face growing pressure to biodegradable and recyclable polymers to allow consumers to feel good about slash costs, cut turn-around times and deliver premium print quality, while brand their product and packaging choices while enabling brands to tap all the creative owners want to make regular changes without incurring the expensive set-up and practical benefits that plastic materials have to offer. costs associated with flexo and gravure. To be able to meet their customer’s demands and high expectations for print quality, flexibility and sustainability, Erich Hoch, EVP and CEO, Jabil Digital Solutions printers and converters are discovering the many benefits of using web offset for packaging work. Pack-vertising We predict that over the next few years, hybrid technology will become the I predict an increase in ‘pack-vertising’, where product are used as a core industry standard. Printers will want to combine all the benefits of web offset part of the marketing message. This is increasingly important when there is with the inherent advantages that flexo, gravure and digital can offer, so a continued pressure on marketing spend – as has been the case in recent years.

| 8 | Packaging Europe Packaging Europe | 9 | 2018 TRENDS

Ken Chrisman, president of Sealed Air’s Product Care division

Meanwhile, lead times will continue to shorten. At present, most digital ping costs low without letting temperatures rise? As food manufacturers and printing companies can offer very quick turnaround of work. However, these retailers test the waters of food e-commerce operations, commercial validity is have tended to be small jobs and have not really impacted the general industry paramount. To help assure this, a combined primary and secondary packaging wide accepted norms. I predict this changing, as more companies install high operation is fundamental. productivity inkjet digital devices, used for longer runs. The digital e-commerce As a result, more stringent industry standards and regulations will be required model, allowing simple on-line ordering and quick delivery, will spread to the to help ensure food freshness and protect consumers. It will be vitally important wider market. that businesses track these updates and proactively look for solutions that can help with the transport of fresh goods. Bui Burke, senior VP Sales, Screen Ken Chrisman, president of Sealed Air’s Product Care division Brand experience in every With more products being sent directly to homes, the visual and tactile impacts Style & substance inside a delivery can be a powerful selling point for brands. Logos, photos, and With online sales continuing to rise year-on-year and less ‘bricks-and-mortar’ illustrations can be printed on the protective packaging materials or directly shops, the onus is on businesses to take a two-pronged approach - incorpo- on the shipping box or mailer, which can help deliver a brand experience that rating both substance and style into packaging to create a superior customer connects with consumers and further communicates how that brand value is experience at home. enhancing their lives. Putting in place pioneering void fill and cushioning solutions should be the top In this way, custom packaging design can reinforce the mission and lifestyle priority as it can make a remarkable difference – not only in terms of ensuring of a company, as well as the lifetime customer value. As companies discover products arrive in perfect condition, but also by speeding up the packaging pro- more about their customers, both their shopping and experiences will cess, optimising overall efficiencies and improving sustainability by minimising become more personalised. the amount of packaging used overall. Meanwhile, as the needle moves ever higher on the consumer instant At the same time, creating a memorable first impression when a package gratification meter, the expectations among online shoppers for speedy, precise, arrives is now more important than ever before as nearly 40 per cent of the damage-free deliveries have never been greater. In response, retailers are apply- British public admit that colour is the most appealing feature of packaging, while ing pressure throughout the supply chain to deliver products faster and more a quarter say that imagery caught their eye the most. This will no doubt fuel efficiently. Manufacturers are feeling the added pressure of having to make the growing popularity of personalisation in packaging as firms battle it out to direct deliveries to customers to help reduce retailers’ inventories. This will only achieve that all-important ‘wow’ factor. accelerate in 2018. Retailers want to avoid and ensure that products are ready to be shipped at a moment’s notice – and by manufacturers ideally. This Jason Poxon, packaging technologist at Antalis will require a wholesale re-working of manufacturers’ business models. The sweet spot for fresh goods delivery packaging is difficult to hit. How Active & intelligent much packaging does it take to maintain proper temperatures, and how much Whether at home, work or during our leisure activities, we are seeing an increas- wiggle room (i.e. hours spent in the back of a delivery truck from processor to ing amount of technology penetrate our lives. A few years ago, it looked like retailer, or unprotected from the elements at a front door) can any box, bag, or NFC technology was on the verge of revolutionising the packaging industry and cooler handle? How can processors and retailers keep material and ship- making that ‘smart’ as well, but then the initial hype began to fade away.

Packaging Europe | 11 | 2018 TRENDS

Now the buzz is back and 2018 seems set to be the year when smart packag- Minimalism & transparency ing finally starts to reach beyond simply being a ‘cool idea’, and moves closer to Aiming for packaging designs that enlighten consumers’ purchase decisions, becoming an everyday reality. brands will reject approaches that offer too much or too little as they can leave There have been some interesting NFC campaigns such as the US-based shoppers more confused than informed. snack company, Frito-Lay, which launched limited edition crisp packets during Today’s consumers are more informed than ever; however, brands are in real the Super Bowl. The ‘Party Safe’ bag came with a built-in alcohol sensor which danger of being rejected if consumers feel overloaded with information, leading acted as a simple breath analyser, encouraging people to then act responsibly to the questioning of provenance, authenticity, and transparency. The ‘essential- and tap their smartphone to the NFC technology in the bag and summon an ist’ design principle bridges the divide between not enough and just enough of Uber ride to take them home. what’s essential for consumers to make an enlightened and confident purchas- These market trials, have generally been applied to niche, low volume ing decision. Brands must bring the next generation of clean label to packaging marketing campaigns or premium products due to the additional cost of embed- design to provide a moment of calm and clarity for shoppers in an increasingly ding the NFC technology. In some cases, this was because a power source was hectic retail environment. required for standalone operation and printed batteries are still relatively expen- Meanwhile, bbrands will look to contemporary packaging formats to help sive. Yet even in its simplest form, where the energy to operate is harvested from reinvigorate the centre-of-store aisles less visited by younger consumers. the smartphone signal, the cost is still considered too high for integration into Young shoppers are increasingly ‘shopping the periphery’, visiting the high volume FMCG. fresh and chilled aisles around the store perimeter and turning their backs on Even as volumes increase, with corresponding decreases in price, a processed, ambient, and frozen offerings in the centre of the store. The use of change in approach is required. The SCOPE project aims to help develop transparent materials, contemporary design, recyclability, or unique shapes can new processes to manufacture devices with “costs of less than one cent help draw in younger consumers to the store centre, making it as appealing as per NFC tag.” Can this be achieved? New technologies and processes are the burgeoning perimeter to younger consumers. now emerging that will bring significantly lower costs, not just innovation in integrated circuits which form the brain of the tag, but also how the antenna Benjamin Punchard, global packaging insights director at Mintel and tag are assembled. These are exciting times. Low cost NFC technology will become a reality in 2018 – finally making smart packaging economi- The on-trend colours from 2018 into 2019 cally viable for FMCGs. As far back as 2014, while working on ColorForward 2016, we began to see consumers becoming more introspective and even a little fearful about what Gillian Ewers, VP marketing, PragmatIC was happening in their world. That gloominess, reflected in colours that were muted, softer, darker and even ambiguous, has persisted. Although the palette heading towards 2019 is still toned down and more than a little grey, we see in it a growing sense of resolve and determination to find ways to live happily in our increasingly technical world.

Trends to look out for include: • ‘Do not disturb’ – this pastel palette is serene, soft, and minimal, though all but one have a dusty cast that quiets them even further. • ‘CTRL+F’ – this story is more fearful, focusing mainly on the apparent loss of control and is represented by ambiguous, enigmatic, and contrasting colours – both light and dark, solid and transparent, with two of the five including a glitter effect. • ‘Made in Human’ – in our increasingly technical world, we can still take some comfort and pride in the things that make us uniquely human. One of the colour chips is made by 3D printing – a canvas-beige with a brush stroke of purple symbolising the human creativity in this machine-made artefact. Others include, ‘One face, one human race’ that is a totally random combination of several colours, making every chip is unique, and yet all are part of the same family. • Umswenko – celebrating the energy and optimism of the 1.1 billion ‘Afrillenials’. The colours chosen to represent this trend are not stereotypically African; the brightest of the ColorForward 2019 palettes, yet somewhat toned down, such as the apricot orange ‘Tribeat’ and the jade green ‘La Sape’. Gillian Ewers, VP marketing, PragmatIC Judith van Vliet, ColorWorks® designer and a leader of the ColorForward team

| 12 | Packaging Europe SMART MANUFACTURING

Furthermore, to better connect industrial producers with expertise outside to deliver a swathe of real-time interaction – immersive and hands free. Mr their production environment, Rockwell offers OEMs cloud-based machine McDermott suggested that future R&D is likely to build further added value onto AUTOMATION PERSPECTIVES analytics combining real-time with historical insights into how their equipment is this platform, with extensions including linking to spare parts inventory. operating, meaning they can collaborate with customers to help reduce down- time. At the enterprise level, companies can use the IDC as an IaaS offering or Packaged goods as a private, on-premises cloud platform. FactoryTalk Cloud, a public, remotely Another change since 2015 has been in Rockwell’s own attitude to the market- “Good things happen when we combine the potential of automation with the imagination of people,” remarked administered cloud platform powered by Windows Azure, helps monitor remote place. “Previously segments would produce products and then work out where Blake Moret, president and CEO of Rockwell Automation, speaking at the opening of the 2017 edition of the assets, meaning that OEMs can efficiently monitor and support machines after to apply them,” explained Mike Wagner (global OEM business manager). “Last annual Automation Fair in Houston. There’s a consensus around the industry that this was a year in which the they are deployed with customers. year we made a so-called ‘pivot to industry’, a shift to verticals. Under our new approach business plans for key markets, including CPG, are built around trends smart manufacturing delivered on many of its promises of ‘good things’. Tim Sykes reports. Digital design and mixed reality and demands. Macro trends are tracked and translated into a tech roadmap, A key tenet of the digital transformation vision is the principle of design and informing our R&D focus.” operation as a circular process. In machine production digital design uses The pivot also means becoming more engaged in the production challenges a digital twin to test, validating designs and concepts before production. of the key markets, as exemplified by Rockwell’s experience with new customer the triennial preeminent event in the packaging calendar, interpack devices. The key advance here is in a move from descriptive and diagnostic ana- Machine builder libraries now enable a drag and drop approach rather than Kraft Heinz’s ORE-IDA (a leading North American French fry brand). “We helped always serves as a snapshot of shifts and developments in the lytics – the ‘what?’ data that requires user interpretation – towards an advanced writing code. This drastically accelerates the process. Meanwhile, the use of ORE-IDA produce a rigorous business plan that proved the returns that justified ASindustry. Returning to Düsseldorf in May, I was struck by the sea- analytics using tools that look for trends, leveraging models, machine learning digital pilots enhances value streams with asset management, enterprise risk investment in modernisation of one line,” Mr Wagner continued. “The optimisa- change in smart machinery capabilities across packaging and CPG since 2014. and artificial intelligence. and operational productivity. tion resulted in significant reduction of flow disruption, increased product yield, It was as if Industry 4.0 had moved from future tense to present tense. A similar FactoryTalk analytics encompasses data ingress, data visualisation and data On the Automation Fair show floor two solutions stood out among the 140 and reduced variation and scrap. This value has allowed for subsequent invest- sensation of time travel characterised my return to Rockwell’s Automation Fair orchestration, in other words, blending data to offer insights. Perhaps the single exhibits as examples of the opportunities for packaging. The first was a Cama ment in further line optimisation.” two years’ after my last visit. most impressive solution on display at Automation Fair was the customisable, packaging machine using digital twin visualisation, offering enhanced predictive Becoming more market- and less solution-orientated inevitably involves Where in 2015 in Chicago there had been extensive discussion of the need user-friendly interface of the platform. maintenance, covering metrics such as torque, heat and revolutions. Through speaking more fluently in the language of selling value. “This is what automation for manufacturers to rapidly acquire IT specialists with the skills to collate and This is the fruit of Rockwell’s ‘Project Scio’ – an initiative to devise ways a HoloLens interface one can step inside the machine, interrogate and control solutions are about,” remarked Mr Wagner. Smart sensors are about managing interpret data from connected devices, recent innovations seem to have allevi- for businesses to create their own tailored analytics apps. “It’s possible to each element. As managing director Billy Goodman remarked, in the past when efficiency, for example measuring the degradation of a process. If a machine ated these industry anxieties. create an ad hoc ‘storyboard’ containing actionable information for each user,” efficiency has gradually declined it hasn’t always been noticed. With today’s can send a message about a blockage, or better still automatically blow a puff explained Mr Kulaszewicz. “The dashboard is active, meaning the user can drill toolkit it’s possible the operator is more intimately connected with the nuances of of air to clean it out, this can prevent a stoppage or eliminate the need for costly, Powerful analytics down and query information. However, it’s not necessary to build a new dash- performance – delivering increased efficiency, flexibility and speed. permanent air flow.” Speaking at the Automation Perspectives conference, Frank Kulaszewicz, senior board to access a piece of information: intelligent search functions enable the Secondly, Bradman Lake’s president Ian McDermott introduced the innovative Today’s demographic changes are driving lots of trends – including healthier VP, Architecture & Software Division, Rockwell Automation, set out his vision of user to quickly access ‘orchestrated’ data, e.g. ‘sum of energy by machine’.” machine builder’s latest independent motion side load cartoner, featuring full foods, convenience, freshness, single-serve and ethnic offerings – that together the digitally transformed enterprise, whose digital information thread provides The ability to mash up and simply present multiple internal and external ethnet/IP architecture for ControlLogix controllers, Kinetix 5500 servo drives, spell out a proliferation of SKUs, requiring adaptive lines and faster changeovers. context and critical insights enabling action to improve performance. data sources looks like a game-changer. So does FactoryTalk, as a tool that PowerFlex variable frequency drives and PanelView HMIs. Guided pockets This can only continue to drive demand for scalable solutions bringing about A key tool in this endeavour is the FactoryTalk platform: a powerful but easy to presents the crucial real-time and aggregated information needed by man- are individually controlled using iTRACK, and with internal collating additional digital optimisation of manufacturing in the food and beverage market. Given use analytics tool that enables businesses to take decisions closest to the source agers from machine operator and plant manager to the senior management robotics are not required by this footprint-shrinking solution. Meanwhile, it offers the pace at which smart technologies are advancing, it’s scary to imagine where of data. The FactoryTalk platform provides scalable analytics, open to partner at enterprise level. mixed reality machine intelligence, using FactoryTalk, Shelby and HoloLens we’ll be in another two years.

| 14 | Packaging Europe Packaging Europe | 15 | INNOVATION SPOTLIGHT PONT PACKAGING BRINGS TWIST TO CAP DESIGN

Leading glass and plastic packaging specialist, Pont Packaging has launched an innovative new infusion cap system which adds a subtle design twist to the packaging and presentation of bottled sports nutrition products such as energy drinks and supplements.

tephen Compson, CEO Pont Europe group, explains to Packaging Europe the PCO1810 neck finish and can easily be adapted to fit any other neck size. the TWINCAP development resulted from a combination of discussions The cap is made in PP, which makes it easily recyclable for an environmentally Swith its key customers and an understanding of the need to innovate in responsible approach. the dynamic VMS market. He comments, “We saw a strong demand for the TWINCAP also guarantees a perfect product integrity thanks to its double dosing of vitamins into liquids and have developed a quality dosing system with Tamper Evident security band and can be offered in any colour to match corpo- an attractive design to address consumer needs.” rate or brand identities. Premixed liquid vitamins rapidly lose their potency. “TWINCAP overcomes Mr Compson concludes, “Our knowledge of the vitamins market and the this problem with a fresh infusion of full strength vitamins just prior to consump- close relationship with our customers within this sector allowed us to clearly tion,” Mr Compson shares. “We believe it will be attractive to athletes as well as identify a need for a consumer oriented and functional solution for a vitamins recreational drinkers since TWINCAP can also be used for fruit concentrates, and mineral infusion system.” This has resulted in a cost effective, easy-to-use syrups and diet drinks.” and multi-functional solution which brings a refreshing dimension and attractive The brand new TWINCAP system primises greater and improved shelf appeal design to the market. compared with existing solutions. A simple twist of the top cap activates an internal cutting technique which breaks the liner seal enabling the chamber contents to fall into the . One simple shake of the combined contents ensures the mixed drink is immediately ready to consume. Its 7ml chamber can accommodate granules, powders or liquids and the induction heated seal keeps the product fresh. The current TWINCAP product fits

| 16 | Packaging Europe Packaging Europe | 17 | COCA-COLA

PATHWAYS FORWARD INSIDE COCA-COLA’S SUSTAINABILITY PLAN Joe Franses, vice president, Sustainability, Ulrike Sapiro, director of sustainability, Coca-Cola European Partners Coca-Cola Western Europe

The Coca-Cola Company in Western Europe and Coca-Cola European Partners have launched a first ever You have had high-profile usage of both recycled plastic We’ve also made significant investments in energy efficiency and renewable joint Sustainability Action Plan for western Europe, entitled ‘This is Forward’, setting out new commitments on and bioplastics. Are you coming to a view on the relative energy which have reduced greenhouse gas emissions related to our core busi- merits and high-volume potential of these as alternative ness operations in western Europe in absolute terms by 42 per cent since 2010. drinks, packaging and society. Developed through a consultation process encompassing 100 stakeholders, feedstocks? Our business will continue to grow and with continued investment in low-carbon governments, NGOs and customers, as well as 12,000 consumers and a thousand of its own employees across Using recycled material in new and cans keeps valuable resources in a technologies and renewable energy we are aiming to achieve an absolute 50 Europe, the plan sets respective targets of 100 per cent packaging collection and 50 per cent recycled content circular economy, encourages recycling and significantly reduces the carbon per cent reduction versus 2010 by 2025, irrespective of business growth. for PET bottles by 2025. Joe Franses (vice president, Sustainability, Coca-Cola European Partners) and Ulrike footprint of our packaging. We believe that using both recycled PET and PET made from bio-based, renewable material, alongside a lighter, fully recyclable What about deposit/return systems? Sapiro (director of sustainability, Coca-Cola Western Europe) reveal the iconic brand owner’s packaging strategy bottle design creates the most sustainable pack. There are different collection, sorting and recycling schemes in place across all to Packaging Europe. We led the way in introducing recycled PET into our packaging and brought the countries in which we operate. Some of these focus on household kerbside PlantBottle, the first fully recyclable PET plastic beverage bottle made partially collection and recycling whilst others have well-established deposit return from plants, to market with over 40 billion bottles worldwide. We are now leading schemes for beverage packaging. In some European countries, we’ve seen how the way in Europe using more recycled PET than any of our competitors. deposit schemes can play a positive role and be an effective way to encourage ‘This is Forward’ sets out an aim to collect 100 per cent You also want to encourage consumers to play their We will continue to work with our suppliers and invest in the recycled PET the recovery of more beverage packaging. of Coca-Cola’s packaging in western Europe. What part. What kinds of initiatives do you have in mind? value chain. By 2025 we aim to more than double the amount of recycled PET For a deposit system to be successful, however, it must work for all stake- concrete steps and collaborations do you have in place We’re continuously trying to engage consumers to ensure that we keep them we use, so that 50 per cent of all the PET we purchase will be recycled PET. holders across the value chain, and be underpinned by a circular economy to realise this? actively involved in the big issues facing society – and that includes packag- strategy. We are very keen to support the trial of well-designed deposit return ur packaging is a valuable resource, so we are determined to do every- ing. We know that consumers have an important role to play in ensuring that Currently there is a strong media and political focus on schemes to understand the role they could play in increasing the recycling of our thing we can to ensure that it does not end up as litter or in our rivers and our packaging is collected, sorted and recycled and does not end up as litter the problem of packaging waste, in particular plastic packaging and reducing litter. Ooceans. All of our cans and bottles are already 100 per cent recyclable or in the oceans. With this in mind, we are using our business and our brands waste. Would you agree that it’s important to step back and we have made considerable progress in the collection and recycling of our to inspire everyone to help us recycle and avoid litter. The ‘A Bottle Love Story’ and take a more holistic view of the product lifecycle, Is Coca-Cola actively working on boosting sustainability packaging, but in many of our geographies in western Europe we still have a lot campaign in Great Britain is the first in a series of activities that aim to influence taking into account overall carbon footprint, and not through packaging innovations and processes? to do, working with municipalities, industry partners and consumers, to ensure consumer behaviour around recycling and is a great example of what we would fixating solely on the issue of waste and recyclability? We want to go further, supporting innovation into new packaging materials and our packaging is collected and recycled. like to do more of in the future. Yes, we believe it’s absolutely essential to take a holistic view and that’s why new ways to reduce the need for packaging and minimise waste. We believe In all of our markets in western Europe, we are partners in local household We have also recently partnered with The University of Reading to trial a new ‘This is Forward’ also includes new carbon reduction targets - for both our own that collaboration is critical to help us meet the targets in our Sustainability Plan, collection or deposit return schemes and we aim to lead the way in driving a initiative aimed at reducing the amount of packaging we use. The programme business and our value chain - which are fully aligned with climate science and so we work closely with our stakeholders to develop innovative new solutions to step-change in packaging collection, especially in markets where recycling combines a new generation of smart Coca-Cola fountain dispensers, called have been validated by the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi). shared problems. An example of this is the launch of a newly redesigned plastic rates have stalled. This includes work with organisations such as Valpak in Great Coca-Cola Freestyle machines, with refillable that are micro-chipped Suppliers play a vital role in helping us deliver these goals, so we work bottle for our Abbey Well Spring Water brand. The ‘twistable’ design uses up Britain, Citeo in France, and Ecoembes in Spain. We will also work with partners to interact with the dispenser technology, allowing students and staff to very closely with them and have a number of initiatives in place. Our ‘Carbon to 32 per cent less plastic, and carries a prominent ‘Recycle Me’ message to such as Every Can Counts on recycling campaigns in Great Britain and with reuse their bottles. The goal of this initiative is to help students and staff across Challenge’, for example, is a three-stage program designed to encourage remind consumers that the bottle is recyclable. Its design also makes it easy for Chaque Canette Compte in France. the university to reduce their personal packaging footprint. suppliers to make progress towards achieving their carbon management goals. consumers to crumple it down before disposing of it.

| 18 | Packaging Europe Packaging Europe | 19 | PHARMAPACK THE FUTURE IS NOW! PHARMAPACK SHOWCASES EVOLUTION & REVOLUTION IN PACKAGING AND DRUG DELIVERY The comprehensive event programme for Pharmapack Europe 2018 – the continent’s dedicated pharmaceutical packaging and drug delivery conference and exhibition – includes keynote speeches from leading industry figures, a symposium, educational workshops and learning lab. Together these will explore regulatory changes and impacts, challenges in packaging & devices development: biologics, materials, sustainability and quality consistency, and how new patient-centric innovations in drug delivery will revolutionise lives and improve treatment adherence. An innovation at this year’s event, which takes place on 7–8 February at Paris Expo Porte de Versailles, Paris, is the Start-up Pitch: a unique opportunity for companies at an early stage or pre-commercialisation phase to present their idea in front of industry experts.

harmapack Europe is an essential event for industry insights and the latest industry innovations that are reimagining the capabilities of Ppharmaceutical packaging and drug delivery. One area that provides opportunities and challenges is biologics, a growth area for the pharmaceuti- cal industry both now and in the future with biologics representing 70 per cent of drugs currently in development. Pharmapack Europe 2018 will include keynote presentations on the key factors for successful collaboration on pharmaceutical packaging development for biologics, speeches on integrated

| 20 | Packaging Europe Packaging Europe | 21 | PHARMAPACK SPONSORED

WHAT IF HOTMELT ADHESIVES COULD BRING COMFORT AND SAFETY IN YOUR PLANT?

Health and safety at work is a major concern for industrial companies with production lines, striving to maintain the best working conditions for their employees.

umerous risks for operators working on case sealing lines: falls, breathing problems, back pain… N In partnership with its mother company Arkema, Bostik has launched Kizen is Bostik’s next generation hotmelt Kizen, a brand new range of hotmelt adhesives dedicated to case sealing range for cardboard box & case sealing. and cardboard packaging. Kizen is based on a water-white technology and offers ease of use and This range has been designed to bring comfort, security and efficiency in strong bonds on case and sealing applications. production plants. Thanks to its enhanced performances, Kizen offers comfort to all In the EU, around one third of workers report they suffer from musculoskeletal industrial customers: diseases and the main cause of this is the lifting of heavy loads. • Fast set speed to easily meet high output demands With a weight of 12kg and the presence of a handle, our light weight Kizen • Broad processing window to withstand end-use temperature fluctuations bag is fully compliant with European standards. It reduces substantially risks of • Thermal stability to prevent nozzle clogging back pain and lessens efforts on shoulders and elbows when manipulated. 12kg approaches towards the design of drug delivery platforms for biologics, and New for 2018 is the Start-up Pitch, offering non-commercialised companies the is 20 per cent under the weight limit stated by EU regulation that can be lifted in case studies assessing delivery options for injectable biologics. In addition, opportunity to present in front of a start-up panel of experts and an audience ideal conditions by nine out of 10 operators. patient-centric considerations provide new avenues of innovation in drug of industry professionals. The Start-up Hub and Start-up Pitch are organised in The flat shape of our Kizen pellets alsoreduces the risk of slips of delivery solutions. Sessions will be dedicated to innovations in packaging that collaboration with Early Metrics, the pan-European rating agency for start-ups operators who might step on it if spilled on the floor. Learn more about Kizen: www.bostik.com/kizen improve patients’ lives, identifying new areas of opportunity in designing the and innovative SMEs, assessing the potential growth of early stage ventures by With Kizen, our customers guarantee their operators a cleaner atmosphere future of drug delivery packaging, and practical solutions to help stakeholders analysing a company’s non-financial metrics. thanks to the absence of carbonisation, lower innovate in this area. odour and less fuming. “The pharmaceutical packaging and drug delivery industry is at the crest of a new wave of innovation and opportunity. We have developed an extensive programme for Pharmapack Europe 2018 to provide the industry with insights from leading industry experts, practical guidance and workshops on challenges and opportunities, and networking and collaboration opportunities through our International Meetings Programme to enable visitors to share knowledge and About Bostik, an Arkema company experience to drive business forward,” said Anne Schumacher, brand director, Pharmapack Europe. “Following on from the success in 2017 we are also Bostik joined Arkema in February 2015. Its adhesives can be found continuing to provide focussed support for new companies through our Start-up almost everywhere. From cradle to grave, from home to office, from food Hub and Start-up Pitch programme. This unique programme provides the lead- to transport, our bonding systems are used in countless applications. Our ing opportunity in Europe to directly meet and discuss business opportunities products might be subtle but their impact is profound: contributing to a with international pharmaceutical and biopharmaceutical companies. A limited safer, more flexible, efficient and responsive world. number of spaces are still available.” Bostik is one of the largest adhesive and sealant companies. The 2018 Start-up Hub will showcase young companies as being amongst Worldwide, we employ some 5,000 people in 50 countries across five the most innovative in the industry. Companies in the Start-up Hub will benefit continents. Our customers come from diverse markets, most notably the from increased access to potential customers, partners and investors at industrial manufacturing, construction and consumer sectors.

Pharmapack Europe 2018 from which to forge new and lasting relationships. Eurofound – European Foundation for the Improvement of Living and Working, Conditions European Working Survey (EWCS) 5., 2010.

| 22 | Packaging Europe Packaging Europe | 23 | DIFFERENTIATION

ACHIEVING ON-SHELF DIFFERENTIATION IN ADVANCE Arco Berkenbosch, vice president of innovation and development, Smurfit Kappa, explores the science behind shelf impact with Tim Sykes and shares insights from the whitepaper ‘Marketing on the shelf - exactly how in control are you?’ commissioned by Smurfit Kappa. He also discusses the forward- thinking ShelfSmart service, designed to reveal how packaging will perform on-shelf before it is made.

IM SYKES: and eye-catching packaging solutions. ShelfSmart is designed to give your Smurfit Kappa has been something of a pioneer in putting the science packaging more selling power. Each Experience Centre is fully equipped with Tinto shelf impact with the introduction of ShelfSmart. What technologies a Shelf Viewer tool which has an interactive touch-screen database of nearly are involved in helping customers fine-tune their packaging? 100,000 images from a variety of actual retail shelves around the globe. From these insights and customer understanding, we design new solutions and RCO BERKENBOSCH: use pioneering technologies like the Store Visualiser to enable customers to Having the right combination of data, insights and tools helps create see what their packaging will look like in store. Most importantly, we conduct Athe optimal packaging solution. That’s why we have a suite of ‘Smart’ research with shoppers to learn which performs best across a number of areas services, SupplySmart, eSmart and ShelfSmart, to deliver innovative, efficient – brand impact, visibility and sales growth to name a few.

Packaging Europe | 25 | DIFFERENTIATION

Do you aggregate the conclusions of trials at these centres? Do Thirdly, shelf-ready packaging has the potential to balance the demands certain best practice do/don’t rules start to emerge? of brand, retail marketing and logistics by marketing products in store and TS promoting a brand’s message. Products that stand out on the shelf can also boost sales – the shelf-ready packaging that we developed for a leading The data and research collected through our Experience Centres, food company generated a sales increase of eight per cent. databases and our own analysis gives our customers greater Meanwhile, there is less space in store. Retailers are increasing the amount ABconfidence that they will see a return on their investment. With of shelf-space they give to their own-brand products, limiting the space left for insights from over 50,000 shoppers, we can be very confident that we know branded goods. The products that do have shelf-space are therefore under even what will work. more pressure to stand out. For example, many companies will apply primary packaging visual designs to Finally, brands and products need to be easily identifiable to encourage repeat the outer case but we know that shelf-ready packaging needs to follow different purchase. As consumers spend less time in store, they are more likely to pick up rules as people scan for cues in search of their preferred brands or indeed products that they can recognise instantaneously. Shelf-ready packaging adds specific product features. another layer of recognition for branded products.

Can you elaborate on the key points extrapolated from the Smurfit What are the lessons learned from Smurfit Kappa’s experience TSKappa white ? TSwith customers? There are five main points I’d like to highlight. First, timing is key, A leading food company had recently launched a new product to as shoppers are spending less time in store. For brands, this the market. It was highly innovative but was not selling as well as ABmeans that in-store packaging needs to be instantly eye-catching ABexpected. Using ShelfSmart, we identified that, as most of the time and differentiate itself from the competition. With insightful shelf-ready packag- and development had gone into designing the primary packaging, the product ing, brands can have an increasing impact on how their products are displayed. appeared small on the shelf and customers were having difficulty finding it. We One of the biggest shifts we have seen over the last few years is that consumers designed two on-shelf options and the solutions delivered increased visibility by are spending less time in shops, putting more pressure on brands to immedi- 31 per cent and 44 per cent respectively. ately stand out in store. An average time of 12 seconds spent searching and selecting each item means that packaging that stands out on the shelf is vital for Do you think the increase in online shopping is changing the way converting sales. consumers look at and perceive items on retail shelves? Is there Secondly, brands need to explore new ways of attracting shoppers’ TSevidence that it is changing packaging design strategies? attention and influencing their purchasing decisions with shelf-ready pack- aging. The changing face of retail means that consumers are being pre- It’s all about an omni-channel approach, so having an aligned sented with more choice than ever before. But despite being surrounded brand experience across every online and offline channel is key. with multi-channel marketing from numerous brands, most purchasing AB The package should deliver a fit-for-purpose brand experience decisions are still made in store. This means that eye-catching packaging at every touch-point, for example, whether you are seeing the product on the has the potential to make a real difference. In fact, research we carried shelf in a large retailer, on display in a petrol station or receiving an online order out in partnership with EyeSee revealed that 86 per cent of shoppers see which you will unpack at home. The increase in online sales pushes the demand themselves as ‘switchers’ and are not wedded to any one product or brand for alignment and highlights the opportunity to make packaging an integrated when shopping. marketing tool.

| 26 | Packaging Europe BIOPLASTICS

EUROPEAN BIOPLASTICS REVIEW mance with Purpose’ review has shifted the emphasis onto total environmental the PET stream. However, aside from its renewable credentials, PEF performs The 12th European Bioplastics Conference, which took place on 28-29 November 2017 in Berlin, was footprints of its products. PepsiCo has pledged to reduce greenhouse gas better than PET, offering remarkable shelf-life and downgauging opportunities in emissions by 20 per cent between 2015 and 2030, and to work towards 100 rigid and flexible (BOPEF) applications. As a carbonated soft drink bottle PEF has an opportunity to take stock of the extent and direction of growth and innovation in a segment that looks per cent recyclable, compostable or biodegradable packaging by 2025. The demonstrated six times better CO2 barriers and ten times better O2 barriers. to have an increasingly prominent role in packaging. Packaging Europe’s Tim Sykes was among the 330 adoption of bioplastics is therefore an acknowledged key component of its long- In view of the ease with which PEF can be introduced into existing PET pro- delegates seeking to map the future of bioplastics. term sustainable packaging strategy. cessing and converting infrastructure, capacity is the primary challenge. BASF Meanwhile, Françoise Poulat of Danone and Jean-François Briois of Nestlé and Avantium’s joint venture Synvina is hurrying to meet expected demand, with Waters introduced the NaturALL Bottle Alliance – an unprecedented initiative in efforts presently at pilot plant scale and product reaching the market by 2020. erhaps the first take-home from the this year’s EUBP Conference is that in the coming five years. Since world production is predicted to increase by which the world’s number one and two bottled water companies are working Meanwhile, Corbion has been developing a biocatalytic process to produce geographically Europe and sectorially packaging are at the epicentre of 20 per cent during the same period, this reflects a huge increase in European together to create a next-generation bio-based PET bottle. The project expects renewable FDCA as an alternative to terephthalic acid, as a monomer that can Pbioplastics market growth at the moment. The packaging market accounts capacity – a fact underlined by the several manufacturers present in Berlin who to achieve industrial scale PET production featuring 75 per cent bio-based be polymerised into PEF. for (and is set to retain) 58 per cent of production. Meanwhile, Europe announced plans to commence or scale up production. feedstocks by 2020, rising to 95 per cent by 2022. The initiative is fully LCA Meanwhile, much discussion centred on the potential for biopolymers in flex- is projected to increase its share of global production from 18 to 25 per cent Europe’s leading role in driving global growth can be attributed to proac- audited and is scrupulously avoiding diverting resources from food production, ible packaging – the most challenging material for our current recycling infra- tive regulatory efforts. As Jean-Marc Nony of SPhere remarked, respective therefore planning to use second generation ligno-cellulosic biomass such as structures due to the variety and complexity of substrates used. Biodegradable regulations in France, Italy and Spain have helped build up infrastructure across used cartonboard and sawdust. flexibles are a potential solution to this problem, with the added benefit that they southern Europe, while the EU’s Circular Economy package is now laying the Representing the retailer’s perspective, Kevin Vyse outlined Marks and may present an opportunity to divert food waste away from landfill (much as PLA foundations for favourable market demand Europe-wide. As François de Bie, Spencer’s ambitious Plan A 2025, the most revolutionary component of which coffee pods facilitate composting of packaging and grains). As such, develop- chairman of EUBP, remarked: “Europe is a world leader in developing and com- is the One Polymer Roadmap – committing the business to move to use of a ments such as biodegradable functional (such as Fraunhofer ISC’s mercialising innovative biopolymers. The commitment of the European Commis- single plastic across all its private label packaging for simpler recycling. While bioORMOCER®) and bio-based multi-layer barrier films (presented by Kuraray sion to the transition to a circular economy and the stronger political support for a lot of work is yet to be done on identifying a polymer that ticks enough EVAL’s Stefan Corbus) may prove another significant pathway to sustainability. the bioeconomy on the whole are crucial signals and are further accelerating the across rigid and flexible packaging formats and diverse product categories, Mr Impressive material innovations abound across bioplastics. One highlighted at growth momentum of the bioplastics industry in Europe.” Vyse hinted at a likelihood that the selected plastic would be bio-based. Could the conference by Marie-Hélène Gramatikoff, CEO of Lactips, is a water soluble, this be a watershed moment? Bearing in mind the pioneering record of M&S biodegradable thermoplastic made from milk protein. A key application for this is Brand watersheds – who have previously, for instance, set the policy agenda with the introduc- the dissolvable caseine pellets used for dishwasher detergents. This represents Amid a challenging climate for plastics, with packaging waste and ocean tion of carrier bag charges – there’s a distinct possibility that other retailers an alternative to soluble PVA and is claimed to be the quickest biodegradable plastics prominent in consumers’ minds, it’s clear that there’s a market pull as will follow this lead, and perhaps M&S will again anticipate the regulation. plastic in the world. Finally, a mention ought to go to ICEE Containers’ fold-flat well as a legislative push. Presentations by leading brand owners and retailers boxes – a solution for refrigerated products such as fresh foods and pharma- emphasised the deliberation and substantive steps being made by consumer- Expanding possibilities ceuticals, using BASF’s ecovio® plant-based biofoam. ICEE has patented a facing businesses on sustainability approaches – with bioplastics prominently on The third important driver of the bioplastics market is innovation, in full evi- moulded, living hinge in the substrate, which enables economical flat storage the agenda. dence at the EUBP conference both at the primary research and the product and transportation of this reusable, compostable format. Sandeep Kulkarni set out PepsiCo’s strategy, which takes its cues from the development levels. Thanks to a confluence of regulatory pressure, consumer demand, growing UN Sustainable Development goals and Paris Climate Agreement. Whereas the A biopolymer we in the packaging industry probably need to start getting capacity and fast-moving R&D, we can be certain that bioplastics will be an ever PepsiCo focus until the year 2015 had been on boosting internal environmental excited about is polyethylene furanoate, or PEF. PEF is a new, 100 per cent bio- more prominent element on the European packaging landscape. Needless to performance by improving production efficiencies, the October 2016 ‘Perfor- based polymer whose properties are very similar to PET and recyclable within say, the 2019 EUBP Conference will be one of the key dates in the year’s diary.

| 28 | Packaging Europe Packaging Europe | 29 | ADF/PCD PARIS ADF&PCD EVENT COUNTS DOWN TO NEXT EDITION

The countdown has begun for the 12th edition of ADF and 14th edition of PCD. This year is again a turning point because the upcoming ADF&PCD Paris will be held in a new, more spacious, highly functional area at the Porte de Versailles, Hall 7, on 31 January - 1 February 2018. Christelle Anya, event director, takes time out of her busy preparations to talk about this key show for the aerosol and the perfume/cosmetics markets.

How is the 2018 edition of ADF&PCD PARIS shaping up? Our exhibitors and visitors innovate, and so do we! All the attendees will thus Everything is shaping up extremely well. Once again, the event will be full. 478 be equipped with smart badges to collect digital information at exhibitor stands exhibitors have confirmed their attendance, including 129 newcomers, including and receive a summary of their visit! 5 Sept Etiquettes, Arconvert, CM Smart Connect, DB Technique, Glass Surface Technology, Singulus, and Toly. Could you tell us about the ADF&PCD AWARDS given All these new companies are aiming for growth, and some of them have at ADF&PCD? chosen ADF&PCD to preview their innovations. It is true that they are another one of the event highlights. Every year, a few weeks before the event, the numerous products in competition are assessed according After all these years refining the event, are there any to the various criteria pertaining to their category by the members of the ADF and new developments? PCD Juries. These two days are packed with exchanges and debates; it is always The format of the plenary conferences is changing this year. Our team has a wonderful, very friendly moment, and a means to highlight progress in the worked hard, conducting market research, meeting brands and industries, industry and reward the teams that worked on these projects! to understand their challenges and incorporate them into a high-level The award-winning products will be announced at the official ceremony – at conference programme. the event - on 31 January for ADF at 16:45, and 1 February for PCD at 14:00, The round table discussions will address global trends in Europe and the in their respective conference halls. ADF&PCD 2018 a genuine platform for the world, customer relations and regulations, and, of course, sustainable develop- industry, looks forward to welcoming you at the first, leading packaging event of ment and innovation, leading topics at ADF&PCD. the year. A series of fascinating subjects will thus be proposed this year to attendees Visit: www.aerosol-forum.com and www.pcd-congress.com during these two days in the form of panel discussions where brands, design agencies and experts will come to describe their vision and stance. Furthermore, you will discover new events at the heart of the exhibition, like the Accelerator Zone specifically dedicated to the start-ups selected on the strength of their innovations in terms of materials and/or substances, etc. These young companies have addressed environmental and/or economic issues, inter alia. Or the Innovation & Technology Theatre, a conference area at the heart of the event, open to all, where exhibitors will showcase their new products in an interactive manner. In 2016, Easyfairs bought the Pentawards to round off its global packaging event portfolio. As this event is now a component part of our group, we have set aside a dedicated area at ADF&PCD PARIS 2018 for the Pentawards; they are a permanent exhibition that travels around the world to present the prize winners and thus the most surprising, innovative packaging in the world. The event will also be equipped with NFC+ technology!

Packaging Europe | 31 | PROSWEETS

SWEET SOLUTIONS

ProSweets Cologne, taking place on 28-31 January, is a specialised exhibition for the confectionery and snacks industry, covering ingredients, packing solutions and production technologies. Packaging Europe spoke to Dietmar Eiden, vice president trade fair management Koelnmesse GmbH, to find out about the latest trends and highlights from the show.

What are the most significant trends in the European What highlights do you most anticipate at ProSweets confectionery market today? Cologne 2018? he overall trend is the interest of consumers in more healthy sweets The coming ProSweets Cologne will underline the significance of the packaging and snacks. The industry reacts by introducing new products with and technology section. Among others, together with the Fraunhofer Institute T functional ingredients, less or no sugar, reduced fat and other health and designers, Koelnmesse is organising the “Function meets Design” special related issues as lactose-free. event. Acknowledged experts will also be addressing various themes from the Another trend that influences the development of new products is sustain- packaging section in the lecture programme of the Speakers Corner. Experts from ability. It is not only reflected by organic or traceable ingredients but also by various organizations and companies will for instance highlight new technologies. packaging materials that are environmental friendly and enhance the carbon Also the adjacent ISM (the world’s largest fair for sweets & snacks) offers food print of the products. lots of interesting insights into the state of affairs if it comes to packaging. For A decisive factor for consumers is also the look and mouth feel of a product. instance, the “ISM Packaging Award powered by ProSweets Cologne” will be Softness and crunchiness, colouring and freshness of a product have to stay conferred again. stable within the package even after opening.

How are these trends giving rise to new demands for packaging technology and materials? Packing plays a decisive role in the production process of sweets and snacks. The freshness and quality aspects of the in some cases sensi- tive products have to be integrated into the packing concept as well as new conception of sustainability and carbon food print. Above that the trend towards more “To Go”-products cause packages that can be re-sealed. Sustainability is one of the major trends in the food industry and does of course also comprise packaging. Materials are under scrutiny as well as the packaging processes. Lighter materials, recycling, resource efficiency are central issues.

Packaging Europe | 33 | IPACK-IMA IPACK-IMA RETURNS WITH NEW VISION Speaking at interpack last May, Ipack-Ima chairman predicted that the 2018 edition would mark a ‘major turning point for the show’.

ollowing the acquisition of the event’s management company by in the first half) and 83 per cent expecting growth in total revenues (72 per UCIMA (Italian Automatic Manufacturers’ cent in the first half). The share of companies predicting strong turnover growth “FAssociation) and Fiera Milano, the event’s strategies have been (>10 per cent) has also increased. As in the case of packaging machinery, the redefined with the aim of further expanding its international scope,” he said. second-half projections made by packaging materials producers are similar to “This will make the exhibition a key appointment for industry professionals keen the final results reported in the first half, consisting in both cases of essentially to discover the latest technological innovations, the highest performing materials stable growth. The optimistic forecasts made by the component producers in and cutting-edge logistics solutions.” 2016 were confirmed, with 70.5 per cent of companies posting export turnover Through the support of the leading Italian packaging machinery manufactur- growth and significantly higher-than-expected domestic sales. A large majority ers affiliated to Ucima and the show’s longstanding exhibitors, a new exhibition of sector companies believe that the second half of the year will follow the same space layout has been organised according to target markets. Each hall will positive trend as the first half of 2017. host exhibiting companies organised into key industries centred around eight The survey also assessed the perceived risks to business profitability reported business communities. The major cross-cutting themes of anti-counterfeiting, by companies in the sample. While the severity of perceived risk varies between e-commerce, sustainability and Industry 4.0 have been singled out to charac- the different production segments, the main threats include an escalation of the terise both the exhibited products and the educational and conference topics at competitive climate due to greater aggressiveness of competitors (25.6 per cent Ipack-Ima 2018. of respondents compared to 20 per cent in the previous half year), macroeco- Innovative materials will also take centre stage in a new exhibition section nomic factors that affect sales in various ways (8.9 per cent compared to 12 per entitled IPACK-MAT. Organised in collaboration with Material ConneXion Italia, it cent), rising raw materials and energy prices (20 per cent compared to 25 per will be entirely devoted to innovative materials solutions including raw materials, cent), the costs of services (12 per cent) and labour (13 per cent, perception semi-finished products and components for high value-added products and stable) and adverse changes in taxation (12 per cent in line with the sentiment in packaging and innovative containers. It will serve as a melting pot of ideas and the previous half-year period). Threats that directly impact on the financial man- creative inspirations for strategic corporate areas from R&D to Marketing. agement of companies, such as access to credit and the relevant costs, appear IPACK-MAT will collaborate with PLAST-MAT and PRINT-MAT, the analogous less significant and were reported by just 6 per cent of respondents. satellite events of the shows PLAST and PRINT4ALL. Another major feature of The Ipack-Ima Monitor therefore reveals a general climate of confidence that IPACK-IMA 2018 is its participation in The Innovation Alliance. is reflected in trade fair participation. Six months before the exhibition is due to begin, more than 800 companies had confirmed that they will be taking part and Upturn in domestic demand are preparing to present their latest innovations at the show. Meanwhile, more The industry looks ahead to the 2018 edition on the backdrop of encouraging than 150,000 visitors are expected at Fiera Milano during the five days in which market conditions, according to the latest findings of the Ipack-Ima Monitor. The the five shows will be held.Companies in the industry have been responding first-half 2017 figures for the Italian processing and packaging industry revealed enthusiastically to these new characteristics. higher-than-expected domestic revenues driven by government incentives on Ipack-Ima takes place at Fiera Milano on 29 May – 1 June. the purchase of capital goods. The trend was expected to continue in the second half of the year as exports also pick up. The main risks and threats perceived by companies include increased competition, commodity prices, taxation and labour and service costs. Breaking down the trends according to types of machines or materials produced by the companies, the process machines sector saw a discrep- ancy between forecasts and actual data (52 per cent of companies posted export growth and 48.6 per cent growth in total turnover), prompting them to revise down their growth expectations for the current year: 69.7 per cent of companies expect to post overall turnover growth, while 71.4 per cent are anticipating growth in export turnover. By contrast, a strong correspond- ence between forecast and actual results was observed in the other capital goods segment consisting of packaging machinery manufacturers. Growth expectations in the second half of the year are intensifying, with 78 per cent of companies anticipating an increase in export sales (compared to 63 per cent

Packaging Europe | 35 | SERIALISATION THE COUNTDOWN TO FMD LEVERAGING SERIALISATION

With just one year left until the Falsified Medicines Directive comes into effect, Bart Vansteenkiste (Global Steve Wood, CEO of Covectra Inc, sets out his vision of an industry that harnesses serialisation to deliver Life Sciences Sector business development manager, Domino Printing Sciences) assesses the industry’s better supply chain efficiency and patient outcomes. readiness and the work still to be done.

ur market insight indicates that despite a small minority of businesses sell their products in the EU market. Although there are no penalties for still disregarding the regulation, approximately 65 per cent of the affected businesses that fail to meet the regulation, their portfolio which needs to Oproduction lines of big pharma companies are well on their way to meet comply with FMD is inevitably compromised. As a result, some of the smaller the 9 February 2019 deadline. The remaining 35 per cent of businesses have companies are now selling off their FMD product ranges to other companies already placed orders for serialisation software solutions and accompanying that are serialisation ready. This is creating new opportunities for businesses code printing systems, with the average time for installation and implementation that focus on serialised manufacturing. onto production lines being up to six months. Another trend appearing in the market is that a number of companies are We have noticed that the smaller companies have been slower to respond also implementing aggregation, despite this not being a requirement of FMD. to the regulation and some have not even begun implementing the required Aggregation is predominantly being pushed by supply chains and the use of changes. Failure to meet the requirements stipulated by the directive within aggregated codes represents a convenient alternative to opening group pack- the global pharmaceutical industry implements its serialisation to should be taken, and data can be collected to determine overall adherence of all the specified deadlines could result in companies no longer being able to ages – such as bundles or wrapped pallets – and scanning all the individual meet governmental regulatory requirements, other opportunities patients. Given the cost of drug trials, brand owners can use this methodology to packages one by one which can result in a more expensive and much longer ASexist for pharma companies to realise other business benefits. The ensure that patients are adherent. process. For these reasons, aggregation is also a solution worth considering, as main driver for serialisation is to provide greater integrity to the supply chain, but To enhance the overall experience and outcomes of a patient, communica- long as the wholesaler can guarantee the veracity of all unique identifiers. other meaningful business benefits can be obtained from serialisation. tions programs can be developed that require patients to register for product An important step that each manufacturer will need to adopt is the on-board- In addition to tightening up the supply chain and channels of trade, serialisa- promotion programs such as coupons. Webinars can be made available in ing procedure with the European Medicines Verification Organisation (EMVO) tion can provide great efficiencies for processing shipments, and knowing what exchange for patients providing serial numbers of their current prescription. and the National Medicines Verification Organisation (NMVO) to access the specific packages are included in shipments down to the lowest saleable unit. Brand owners can benefit from this direct communications channel with patients European Medicines Verification System (EMVS) hub. Manufacturers will have Tracking information can be updated continuously and provided to brand owners given the amount of unfiltered information that can be obtained. to upload every code that allows for the checking of each pack and its serial and supply chain partners on dashboards or on mobile applications. These More attention is now being given to the concept of ‘The Connected Enter- number at the point of dispensation. As of today, we understand that merely 15 developments in enhanced Track & Trace can be employed to more quickly and prise’. In the pharma industry, great benefit can be obtained by linking units per cent of manufacturers have registered with these organisations. accurately detect diversion of product to unauthorised regions. of an organisation, including manufacturing, packaging, supply chain, finance, What also needs to be taken into account is that there are still national To combat counterfeiting, new technologies now exist for link- and sales/marketing. A serial number can be used as the critical enabling systems (NMVSs) that need to be set up and made accessible by 9 February ing serial numbers to security features that are unique to each package in order technology so that the life of a product can provide information such as when it 2019, to ensure a comprehensive product verification network is up and run- to detect possible replication of serial numbers by counterfeiters. was made, raw materials used, when and where is what packaged, when and ning. Despite the fact that the EMVS system is already in place today, there are Despite increases in the quality of pharmaceutical manufacturing, there will how it was shipped, at what price, and to what region. Additionally, with end only a handful of EU member states where the local stakeholders have come periodically be a need for recalls of product. Serialisation can be used to provide for user patient communications programs, timely and accurate marketing data to an agreement on their NMVS that will connect to the EU hub. Germany, The more selective identification and notification of product to be recalled, and can also can be obtained directly rather than needing to purchase this data from market Netherlands, Scandinavia, the UK and Ireland are ready today, while most of the be used to more quickly investigate the causes for the manufacturing problem. research companies. other countries are making good progress. However, there are still a few Eastern Expired product is now returned for credits in accordance with supplier con- Now that much of the pharma industry is well on its way of implementing European member states that are behind schedule and unlikely to be FMD- tracts, but in some cases, it is difficult to accurately associate the selling prices serialisation of its packaging lines, a return on investment can be obtained by compliant by next February. for specific product. Interfacing serial numbers with ERP systems can provide developing business benefit programs using these same serial numbers that are Nonetheless, whether Europe will be ready for a safe supply of medicines in accurate pricing and shipping information for specific products. Serialisation can being printed on packages to comply with regulatory requirements. 2019 will not depend solely on manufacturers having serialisation capability on also help to verify that the goods being returned are authentic. Advances in technology have certainly increased the efficiencies of today’s their production lines and having signed up to the EMVS. The public and hospital Statistics on medication adherence have revealed that on average only 50 businesses, but too many organisational units have become increasingly isolated pharmacies will also need to be able to scan and verify the authenticity of the per cent of the medications are not taken as prescribed, thus severely limiting in silos, limiting opportunities for cross-collaboration and timely information from medicines at the other end of the EMVS system. Public pharmacies will need the therapeutic effect of the drug. Applications employing serial numbers can customers, suppliers and distribution partners. Companies are encouraged to to invest in new CCD scanners capable not only of reading linear barcodes, but be used to establish a means for patients’ recording that a medication has hold meetings with cross-functional groups within an organisation to stimulate also 2D codes. On the other hand, hospital pharmacies are part of a complete been taken, and if not, the prescribing physician or designated care giver can thought and discussion about these possible benefits. Serialisation can be a internal logistics system that will need to be upgraded to be able to scan and intervene. Adherence during clinical trials is very important to ensure the entirety highly effective solution for facilitating the transfer of timely and comprehensive register the item serial numbers. of the drug trial. Patients enrolled in the trial can be provided with an easy to information throughout the many functional units of an enterprise, its market, One thing is for sure, there is still a lot of work to do. use mobile application that is programmed to remind patients when the drug and external partners, most importantly, its customers.

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THE CMO POINT OF VIEW As a leading Contract Development and Manufacturing Organisation, Recipharm has had to grapple with the demands of serialisation both in terms of its internal needs and those of its customers and their supply chains. Erik Haeffler, VP of manufacturing services and head of CSR, shares Recipharm’s experience.

e recognised the impact of the EU FMD quite early. Pre-studies started our preparations to deliver solutions for all of our customers. We concluded to improve the way the industry is operating. For us as a CDMO it will be a good around 2013, and the project kicked off in 2014. It’s worth bearing in that we needed to develop a standard solution, which is compliant, simple and opportunity to work with our customers to increase visibility of the machine-to- Wmind that other markets prior to the new regulations have required full flexible enough to use it across our entire customer base. We believe we have machine supply chain and start to drive further efficiencies. or partial serialisation. For example, we have special labels for France already, this now. What we are offering to customers through our standard solutions Regarding broader anti-counterfeiting objectives, I think the new regulations and regulations in Italy have been around for a while. New Chinese requirements does not include everything that a customer may want to have, but it meets have been a bit of an eye opener for the industry. Generally speaking, we are came into the picture in 2015. We therefore had experience, if not in serialisa- all regulatory requirements and can be tailored to meet individual require- less developed than other industries. Of course, big pharma companies with high tion, then in special marking of packs. So we have been ahead in that sense, but ments. European legislation requires a 3D matrix code, human readable text, a price products have previously developed more advanced models for verifying the the important thing is that as a corporation we decided early to set up a compre- tamper evidence label and extensive data management requirements. We are integrity of their products as it was in their interest to do so. As we move forward, hensive project to cover all our operations and to meet regulatory requirements. fully compliant with that. For the US we also have to deal with aggregation of it is likely we will see more innovation in this area. For example, at the moment at In terms of where we are today, we are on track to meet the deadline, we have . If customers would like to have additional features, such as different Recipharm we are primarily building our offering based on our customers’ wish ordered and installed equipment and renovated our software, so I do not foresee types of labels, tamper evident sealing with logos, full aggregation, those will be lists. Once the appropriate solutions are in place we can begin to look beyond this. any reason that we will have problems. offered separately. As for building innovative new areas of packaging functionality from con- I think the main challenge we will have now is to get all of our customers on In terms of our technical solution we have selected standard pieces of equip- nectivity, we’ve seen some ideas from our customers, particularly when it comes board. We see a lot of variation in their preparedness, whether they are ahead ment and are working with Marchesini for our packaging machines, SEA Vision to dosing, and we have a couple of ongoing projects where we are working on of the expected timescale or behind and need to catch up. That’s something for the level 3 system and in terms of data management we are working with such solutions. It’s also likely there will be further possibilities linked to the Track we will learn and understand more during 2018. It is also about simple things, Tracelink for our level 4 requirements. This is the same across all of Recipharm, & Trace element of serialisation, which is interesting for the future. For example, such as having to change your artwork on packaging material in order to fit which includes approximately 75 to 80 packaging lines stretching over 20 sites. thinking again about patient adherence, hopefully these models could help us to the code on the pack. This is not technically complicated, but internally we are With regard to the hardware, the packaging machines, they do look different include more information in packs. working with around 2500-3000 different packs. So big volumes – and that depending on packs, but in general it’s a standardised type of equipment. We have also previously had discussion about RFID for packaging. This is not requires time. really an active discussion at the moment. However, depending on how much Beyond compliance we are able to get out of the systems we are implementing, we will potentially be Technological solutions There are great opportunities beyond serialisation once we have fully imple- able to move this forward. When it comes to smart and interactive packaging, I As a CDMO we are managing somewhere between 150 and 200 customers mented our solution and we can start to explore this area more. We only have think the product owners are likely to focus on patient adherence. However, this across multiple geographies with different regulatory requirements. Obviously, to look at how other industries manage similar kinds of systems in order to get could be an issue for the industry as it can reduce the efficacy of treatments, the US and Europe are the two biggest ones, and the time schedule is tight. We a better overview of what is possible and then implement measures to give us create more waste and drive up costs. It’s something that I think will come into Erik Haeffler, VP of manufacturing services and head of CSR recognised early that this would be very difficult unless we pressed ahead with greater control over the supply chain. I expect we will find numerous possibilities focus in 2018.

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and configurable solution, able to incorporate the variability of European and communication techniques that do not force customers to buy a black box and extra-European regulations and to support the implementation of possible future a closed system. In the future RA will be adopting the Open-SCS protocols, SERIALISATION AS DRIVER OF technological achievements.” which will guarantee even more interoperability across different technologies and levels.” Holistic solution DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION According to Alessandro Stroscio – MES functional consultant, system & solution Opportunity for innovative growth business life sciences, Rockwell Automation – the basic requirements of such In implementing this solution, Molteni sought to go beyond regulatory com- a solution are data managements, scalability and integration: “A solution must pliance and use its new connectivity as a spur for technological develop- The costs of serialisation are significant – which is why many businesses are taking a keen interest in be flexible with an efficient architecture, whose interfaces must be separated in ment – allowing an efficient data exchange, both within the manufacturing terms of technology and data processing. It also has to guarantee uniqueness site and also outside, including with databases of CMO or other MAH, or ways to spin this into a healthy ROI. Tim Sykes spoke to Tiziano Petrucciani, quality & technical development and ownership of the data throughout the flow of information between all the with regulatory agencies. director at Molteni Farmaceutici, the renowned Italian specialist in pharma R&D and production, about levels from shop-floor to the external supply chain and supranational reposito- “This aspect will make it possible to achieve continuous improvements in the company’s collaboration with Rockwell Automation, using serialisation as a springboard for a profound ries. Furthermore, in the life-cycle of a serialisation product you might need to company flows and, in particular processes with GMP impact,” Mr Petrucciani modernisation of its manufacturing processes. shift from a pilot line to management of multiple lines and possibly to deploy the stated. “The progressive interfacing of the production system will allow us solution to several production sites. You may have to migrate to new technologies, to constantly monitor its efficiency and effectiveness and to have a robust, deal with new regulations and cover new markets. Finally, the customer needs to paperless documentation available, in order to support the conformity of the realise its investment by integrating the product successfully on the shop-floor. So manufacturing process. Moreover, we have a vision of how to leverage wider ur old friend Directive 2011/62/EU and the related Delegated Acts require that manages the production lines, and also between the site of the AIC Holder we need to manage the diversity of technology and product formats at a line level, benefits in the future, such as using PharmaSuite to supervise and monitor manufacturers of medicinal products to develop the capacity to apply and the European Hub. And finally, also a cultural effort, just because every also with scope for new serialisation technologies to be added.” efficiency of our packaging lines, optimising maintenance and quality control.” Oto each package, verify and transmit, a unique identifier, which must be technological improvement must always be accompanied by the introduction of To meet these needs, Rockwell developed a holistic serialisation solution: a This is indeed the core message of Rockwell’s approach to serialisation. printed both in clear form and a data matrix code. In addition, pharmaceutical new skills and knowledge.” modular architecture consisting of several components working together, built on “Going beyond compliance with serialisation regulations, thanks to shared data companies that are marketing authorisation holders are mandated to send In considering this formidable task, Molteni concluded that it faced a choice the platform of our off-the-shelf PharmaSuite with all the extended functionalities management and leveraging cloud repositories brings opportunities to optimise serialisation data from their products to a European Hub. between two possible solutions. The first was a stand-alone software system needed to cater to the specific requirements of serialisation. a business,” Mr Stroscio reflected. “As part of this there is an opportunity to An undertaking of this kind involves a considerable organisational, economic that would simply manage the serialisation process. The second would be to “PharmaSuite provides a complete solution to centrally model all the differ- create new marketing and value-added products for the end user, who can and cultural effort for companies, according to Tiziano Petrucciani. “Organisa- introduce a Manufacturing Execution System (MES) platform that not only guar- ent packaging lines installed on a production site, manage master data and make data-driven decisions. All the stakeholders throughout the supply chain tional, because the complexity of this project requires, above all the involvement anteed the correct implementation of the serialisation management process, but serialisation data (such as materials, recipes, packaging orders and, of course, can leverage this real-time information.” of top management and the establishment of a multidisciplinary team where that could also be the starting point for a process of technological innovation, serial numbers) and to handle all the serialisation activities to be performed at While regulation may be the initial driver, there are significant business ben- the roles must be well defined and in which there are skills in IT, manufactur- allowing a quality leap in manufacturing systems, in terms of quality and produc- runtime on the shop-floor,” said Mr Stroscio. “The set of components includes efits associated with supply chain optimisation. “You can have complete supply ing, pharmaceutical engineering, quality, regulatory areas and in the legal tion efficiency. both interface with production devices, and communication with external sys- chain traceability, increased security and efficiency, and notifications directly to area,” he remarked. “Economic effort, because the company has to bear the “Our company decided to orientate itself to the second option and selected, tems like ERPs, Serials Management Systems, EPCIS-certified repositories and the customer,” Mr Stroscio continued. “In terms of optimisation, you can achieve costs for the creation of a complex IT and technological infrastructure able to for this purpose, Rockwell Automation as a partner able to support such a central authority repositories (such as a HUB) identifying an architecture that improved forecasting, optimised inventory, more accurate business planning. support this type of process that includes, among other things, a constant data complex and ambitious project,” revealed Mr Petrucciani. “Rockwell was able provides interoperability across all the five levels of the ISA-S95 model. A key Our customers are using serialisation as a driver of digital transformation: busi- exchange between machines, production lines and software platform of the site to provide an MES product on which to realise a modular, flexible, scalable principle for us is that we integrate devices with open protocols and standard ness optimisation based on data management.”

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INSIGHTS FROM A PROJECT MANAGER Crest Solutions partners with pharma companies in Ireland, the UK, Benelux and Scandinavia to deliver and support solutions for Serialisation and Aggregation from Antares Vision. One such partnership is with a manufacturing facility in Ireland. There a state of the art manufacturing, filling and packaging operation produces close to 800 million units of product on an annual basis. Their serialisation journey began four years ago with compliance for China and Korea. Most recently, compliance was achieved for the FMD. The Project Manager from this site has shared key takeaways based on his experience.

1. Educate yourself 5. Planning and people ince the first regulations emerged four to five years ago, multiple Following approval, draw up a detailed project plan and ensure all functional sources of knowledge and expertise have emerged. Audit these groups are included at each stage. People will be key to the success of your Scarefully and leverage what the market has learned to date to project and its delivery on time and within budget. Engage people early, let them inform yourself of exactly what is required for your site and the best way to know what is needed from them and communicate with them regularly to keep achieve it. the project on track.

2. Vendor selection 6. Implementation There are a number of key players in this space. Evaluate them carefully. As each stage of the technology design progresses, stay in close contact Consider aspects such as: experience; expertise; support – focus here on with your vendors (software and automation may come from more than one the location, remote support is often not enough. vendor). Bear in mind any learnings from previous projects that you deem to be relevant. Test systems from your vendor as early as possible for potential 3. Model weaknesses, even if these are demos rigs. From your research on market requirements and vendors, build a business case that covers how the regulation affects your site, your product SKUs, your budgets 7. Training and your people. Another key element in the success of this project will be in the embedding of the systems in your facility. Operators and technicians must understand why the sys- 4. Stakeholders tems are required and be given sufficient training to run the systems confidently. Identify, early on, who are the key stakeholders in your project. Engage them early and be ready to educate and explain: what is involved; what is required of 8. Get started them and; the impact you imagine it will have on the business. The FMD deadline is fast approaching and this project will take longer than you expect. Vendors have limited bandwidth so mitigate any constraints that you can now and make a move on initiating your project.

| 42 | Packaging Europe POUCHES

Shelf-presence Jindal Films Bicor 50SUP490 is a high clarity stiff OPP film aimed at replac- As a clear example of differentiating on-shelf, snacks and nuts are moving from ing thicker PE films and reduce the thickness of the sealant by >20 per cent standard pillow bags to stand-up-pouches to gain better shelf presence. in some dry food segments (e.g. confectionery) where SUP formats are still Amcor recently worked with a customer on a new Doypack for a brand of growing. It delivers better clarity, improves puncture resistance and stiffness over loose tea using its AmLite metal-free high barrier laminate. In order to be differ- existing solutions, enabling clean tear propagation from a notch without resorting entiated in the market, the idea was to switch from the quadropack structure the to laser scoring. A range of oriented PE films SealTOUGH XE400(clear) and customer had been using to a Doypack with a transparent window, all without XE447 (white) have also been developed for more demanding sealing require- compromising barrier strength. ments which also benefit from the ease of tear from a notch. In addition to a unique packaging shape for tea that would stand out in the Eastern European market, AmLite’s transparent solution now allows consumers Exploring new structures and materials to see the tea inside at points of purchase, to better judge product quality. A study conducted by TOPAS Advanced Polymers reveals that discrete layers of In the home and personal care category, Amcor also realises on-shelf dif- cyclic olefin copolymer (COC) provide significant performance enhancements ferentiation through providing a 3D-effect on transparent stand up pouches. It is in three- and five-layer packaging film structures made of linear low density achieved by printing a design on the front of the pack that’s registered to a graph- polyethylene (LLDPE). The findings were recently shared by Paul Tatarka, market ics printed on the back-interior of the pack. When viewed on the shelf through development manager for TOPAS Advanced Polymers. the transparent front, the two designs create a 3D-like effect. Amcor continues to Via design of experiments (DOE) methods, TOPAS researchers demonstrated focus technical development on transparent high-barrier films for pouches. that COC provides greater than expected toughness, strength, stiffness, and appearance (low haze) in multilayer packaging structures made of LLDPE. “We Growing variety equals increased challenges found that by splitting COC into at least two layers in five-layer structures, further STANDING-UP TO On top of visual appearance to support promotion, the proliferation of SUP for- significant property enhancements are possible without changing COC content,” mats across numerous market segments is elevating the importance of having explained Tatarka. He adds TOPAS COC ®polymers deliver winning tear proper- different barrier technologies to provide protection, and stiffness requirements ties, stiffness and strength, and a noticeable enhancement in sealing properties. for performance. Feldmuehle Uetersen GmbH has focused on launching a heat-sealable paper MARKET PRESSURES Jindal Films has observed an increasing number of format (sizes, shapes), solution. The coated flexible packaging paper with a heat-sealable reverse side aspects (clear, white and metallised) and production methods (pre-made, can be easily used on existing packaging lines and can be recycled in the waste horizontal and Vertical FFS) resulting in more complexity in the types of laminates paper cycle. This provides brand owners with a natural and recyclable material Stand-up pouches are one of the fastest growing pack types, and now perceived by many consumers as a being used. option, which can be used in form-, fill- and seal packing lines similar to plastic premium format. In 2014, Schönwald Consulting estimated that in the year 2018 in Europe almost 45 billion In response to these market demands, Jindal Films has developed PE and films. Available with a high white, glossy or matt surface, the product is suitable PP based film solutions with (e.g. metallisation) or without barrier to cater to the for high-quality printed packaging as well as for simple inner pouch solutions. stand-up pouches would be used... This mark had already been exceeded in 2017. According to Schönwald’s needs of the different segments. “For applications which don’t require a barrier function from the material, our latest study (‘The Market for Stand-Up Pouches in Western, Central and Eastern Europe 2017 to 2020 – Laurent Chantraine, market development manager, shares the biggest chal- product offers an environmentally friendly alternative, made primarily from cel- Consumption, Spouts, Sales and Outlook’) by 2017, 45.7 billion stand-up pouches were used Europe-wide lenge facing the SUP segment as, “the need to move towards mono-material lulose instead of plastics,” explains Stefan Eitze, Technical Marketing Manager at – almost one billion more than forecast, and representing 17-fold growth in the European market since the structures, which is inherently difficult due to the processing methods in place Feldmuehle. The material gets its sealing functionality during the paper produc- and the large use of PET base laminates for easier processing (heat resistance).” tion process with a water-based dispersion applied. It is re-pulpable in beginning of its rise in the mid-1990s. Packaging Europe spoke to some of the key players in the sector to find the waste process, so that the raw materials can be reused.” out about the core drivers of innovation and how they are addressing challenges in the field. Reducing complexity Reducing the complexity of the structures (moving from 3-ply to 2-ply) and driv- ing slowly but steadily towards mono-material solutions (e.g. all PP laminates) is a strong focus for Jindal Films. The ability to enhance stiffness with biaxially Trends pushing innovation venience, individual portions and recloseable packaging. Amcor recently made a oriented materials (BOPP, BOPE) compared to conventional cast or blow sealants food and beverage, parents are seeking mess-free, fast, yet healthy significant investment to expand its production capacity for stand-up pouches in (CPP, PE), allows the industry to still significantly reduce the packaging weight, ways to feed their children, according to Johannes Braun, segment Russia to serve the Eastern European Market, in particular for the fast growing especially in the field of SUP. INmarketing manager, Amcor. “This especially has driven the demand markets of pet food and ready meals. “We are developing a range of products aimed at the pouch segment, for convenient, healthy, on-the-go products for children, such as fruit puree and Laurent Chantraine, market development manager, Jindal Films, points to delivering improved barrier, ease of opening (tear), lower cost and improved dairy based drinks in spouted pouches.” portability, convenience (ease of opening & reclosing), shelf display (stand-up, sustainability (reduced total thickness of laminate) over current typical structure,” In the category of home and personal care, he adds, “pouches are having an stiffness) and differentiation (compared to vertical bags) as some of the key driv- Laurent Chantraine shares. increasing importance as re-fill packaging. Increasingly, the consumer buys the ers pushing innovation in pouches. The range of BOPPE and BOPE films also address other market needs. “SUP traditional rigid container or bottle with pump once and then buy re-fill product in Pouches typically have a lower total carbon footprint then alternatives and its formats are more subject to pressure, long dwell time and excessive heat in the stand-up-pouches.” lighter weight delivers supply chain advantages for manufacturers. However, there sealing areas due to gusset folds in the seals and the common usage of zippers He also highlights accelerated lifestyles (long working hours, lengthy com- is also growing pressure from consumers for pouches to be recyclable according and fitments. This presents us with a challenge to redesign the laminates with mutes) and increase of one-person households are driving the demand for con- to Paul Tatarka, market development manager, TOPAS advanced polymers. thinner and more simple structures (2-ply) in our attempts to drive out cost.”

| 44 | Packaging Europe Packaging Europe | 45 | FORM-FILL-SEAL FORMING THE FUTURE A recent study by Transparency Market Research (TMR) reveals that the global form-fill-seal machines market is estimated to grow at 5.7 per cent during the forecast period of 2017 to 2025 to reach a valuation of US$24 billion by 2025. Elisabeth Skoda discusses three key trends.

Automation packing into a retail tray, case or box. This in turn limits the number of packs that artijn van de Mortel, product manager at GEA, foresees further can be fitted into the tray. integration of Industry 4.0 in FFS. “We will be able to gain even more “The robotic STL addresses this challenge by forming the collation horizon- Mknowledge from the machine to analyse and make improvements,” tally from an infeed conveyor, using gravity to maximise the number of bags or he tells Packaging Europe. “We will see automated or self-learning equipment, pouches, before swivelling the completed collation to the vertical and loading it so if there is an error or flaw in the pack, the equipment will detect it itself through ‘bomb doors’ into the waiting tray, case or box,” Mr Wilkinson explains. and reset so it does not reoccur. Technical availability will improve, resulting in “This approach has been used on lines packing products such as flour, but also more uptime, creating a way that the equipment can continue to run even if it wet noodles, where horizontal stacking might lead to lower layers of product encounters issues.” being crushed and damaged.” The move towards flexibles has been accompanied by a drive to automate downstream packing operations, even at relatively low volumes. Rigid packaging Premiumisation is more likely to use robot pick-and-place with a gripper when being loaded into James Hosford, sales director at tna Europe, observes a trend towards premium secondary packaging. bags for premium snacks. For an equipment manufacturer, the trend means “On the face of it, pouches would be ideally suited to vacuum end-effectors. But technology needs to be designed to offer the highest level of flexibility when it there are limitations,” observes Paul Wilkinson (commercial and information systems comes to handling new materials, package sizes and varying line speeds. manager at Pacepacker Services). “Many vacuum systems will only grip a pouch “The more flexible the packaging system, the less time is required to change on a flat side or face, and may not even achieve this if the contents are lumpy or production runs to accommodate different pack sizes or formats, resulting irregular. Once the pack is gripped, it might be easy to place it flat inside a case, tray in minimum interruption to the production flow,” Mr Hosford remarks. “This or , but challenges arise if you want your pouches vertical for transit.” includes no mechanical adjustments when changing product or film, quick For fresh produce, especially, holes in the film may make any vacuum contact former changes and a wide variety of jaw size configuration that enable full impossible or difficult to achieve. Only pack-specific trials will highlight whether flexibility of bag size and format, film type and application on a single packag- air creepage renders the use of vacuum end-effectors impossible, or whether ing system. For example, vertical form and fill seal systems like the tna robag® this effect can be compensated for with different tooling or a more powerful series can handle gusseted, block bottom, canoe pack and quattro seal formats, vacuum. Often, an automated solution originally designed for one type of product and provides ease-of-use when switching from one to another.” in flexible packaging will lend itself to solving problems specific to other catego- Premiumisation also has an impact on the packaging material as more ries. For instance, Pacepacker’s Shingle Tray Loader (STL) was first developed manufacturers opt for packaging films that convey a higher value. Metallisation, for the birdseed industry, but has since been applied to human food. Flexible for example, can improve the film’s barriers to moisture, air and odours and packs of loose or granular product will go ‘pear-shaped’ when held vertically for adds a glossy shine to the packaging. However, additional coatings increase

Packaging Europe | 47 | FORM-FILL-SEAL INNOVATION AT THE HEART OF UK’S LARGEST PACKAGING SHOW the overall thickness of the film, which in turn affects the sealing temperature, in less product for the same price,” according to GEA’s Mr van de Mortel. “Bag pressure and time required to achieve the necessary seal integrity – driving sizes are getting smaller but the eventual output remains the same. Therefore, innovations such as tna’s high thermal conductivity (HTC) jaws to optimise seal we need to offer higher speed with the larger amount of bags, and the flexibility on thick laminates. to change over bag sizes quickly.” This has prompted developments such as GEA’s SmartPacker TwinTube ‘Shrinkflation’ machine, which can run up to 500 bags per minute but still has the flexibility to The wellness trend and snacking behaviour have together fuelled demand for change over bags between three to five minutes. smaller bags. For FFS this translates to a need for speed: the same volumes of Meanwhile, tna will soon be releasing a new generation of solutions increas- product going into more packs. ing throughput (along with equipment integration, reliability and flexibility), “We notice ‘shrinkflation’, meaning that the bag size or the weight of the including the flagship VFFS packaging system, the tna robag 5, launching early product are limited but the price is kept more or less at the same level, resulting this year.

The UK’s largest annual event for the whole packaging supply chain, Packaging Innovations, Empack and Label&Print, returns to Birmingham’s NEC on 28 February & 1 March 2018. With over 290 exhibitors already signed up, the show is set to be the most innovative to date, with the majority of suppliers using the show as the UK launchpad for new products and solutions.

ames Drake-Brockman, Divisional Director of Easyfairs’ Packaging Portfolio, 75m/min (250ft/min), the PicoJet incorporates 600dpi at 2.5pl dot size and is comments: “Our research shows that one of the key reasons visitors attend ideally placed for high quality and long run lengths. In addition, the highly popular Jthe show year-on-year is to discover all the latest innovations within the PicoColour UV Inkjet Press will be running on stand, demonstrating its enhanced marketplace, so it is fantastic to see so many of our suppliers unveiling their new capabilities, which includes CMYK + white finish, chilled roller printing and a full products and services at the show. With so many new launches planned for the variable data option. show, Packaging Innovations, Empack and Label&Print 2018 promises to offer Cambrian Packaging has expanded its extensive range of mist sprays, lotions buyers and retailers a fantastic opportunity to discover new technologies and the pumps and triggers, with several new product launches planned for the show. latest trends and developments from the industry.” It will also be demonstrating how its unique Flairosol sprays perform when mounted on cylindrical bottles and its ability to supply HDPE bottles in post- Innovation on Show consumer recycled material. Innovative products, design and functionality are at the heart of the show. For Graphic Packaging International will be launching IntegraflexTM, which instance, Dantex Group will be introducing its latest innovation, the PicoJet incorporates the best features of a and flexible packaging for an Digital UV Inkjet Press. It is a 7-colour printing system, which can be custom effective on-the-go eating experience. The recyclable concept has the ability to configured to offer wide colour gamut printing. Working at 350mm width and at stand on its own and is a great option for packaging hot snacks.

| 48 | Packaging Europe Packaging Europe | 49 | Nth Degree will be showcasing its new TruPack range – the complete splitter will join the company’s heavy-duty primary shredder, which can process solution for creating colour accurate samples, mock-ups and prototypes. It larger volumes of material such as wrappers, cores, palletised paper and other allows customers to quickly and easily produce any form of packaging, including bulky waste. cans, pouches, shrink-wraps, bags, cartons, flow wraps, labels, and all with spot Greenearth Food Packaging will present its brand-new range of oven-proof, accurate colour. Plus, it can also create samples onto any substrate. biodegradable ready meal containers made from paper pulp. The range is Glass packaging company, Croxons, will bring its wide range of premium available with and in various sizes and colours to enhance the aesthetics spirit bottles and luxury closures to the show. The range sits alongside its com- of products. prehensive selection of glass packaging solutions which caters for all sectors of the food and beverage industry. Show Content Printer brand, OKI, will be launching the OKI 4 and 5 colour label printers, In addition to a packed showfloor, the Packaging Innovations Conference as well as its first roll fed label printer live on the showfloor. The OKI 4 and 5 Programme will be running across five unique seminar stages: The Keynote devices, which are quick and easy for short runs, require no set up costs and Stage, The Innovation Stage, The Label&Print Stage, The Ecopack Stage and The offer media handling flexibility, as well as ensuring less wastage. The OKI 4 and Packaging News Stage. The two-day educational agenda will feature over 20 5 will join its portfolio of printing products, including the industry’s first digital hours of CPD-accredited content with dedicated forums for the key sectors of LED Five Colour A3 printer. food, drink, retail, beauty, pharmaceutical and ecommerce. Paper and cardboard packaging manufacturers, Graficas Salaet, will be The show will also feature The Pentawards Exhibit, bringing cutting-edge launching two new products at the show. Its new Black Pizza Plate and its design onto the showfloor, giving attendees a global perspective of the best and Step and Twist Tulip Cups. Also on show will be its extensive range of packag- most creative packaging designs from the last year. ing for the food industry including baking cups, paper bags, trays, cake boxes and boards. For further information, visit www.easyfairs.com/PIUK, Russel Richardson will be presenting its new reel splitter, which allows it to www.easyfairs.com/EmpackUK and www.easyfairs.com/Label&PrintUK or process and securely destroy packaging even more efficiently. The new reel via the show team on +44 (0)20 8843 8800 or [email protected].

| 50 | Packaging Europe Packaging Europe | 51 |

SPONSORED

Anilox roller manufacturer steadily strengthens partnership with OEMs ZECHER’S CLOSE COOPERATION WITH MACHINE MANUFACTURERS

or many years Zecher has worked intensively together with all well-known international network of distribution partners in over 65 countries, Zecher makes printing press manufacturers from the areas of flexible packaging, label it possible for global machine manufacturers and their end customers to have Fprinting, offset, coating and corrugated cardboard. Three years ago Zecher the best possible on-site support. Zecher plans to continue to increasingly established a Key Account Management especially for this customer segment expand this close cooperation and thus further strengthen its leading position in in order to offer in-depth support which is adapted to the special requirements the market. of the OEM business. This step has already been proven to be successful for Zecher GmbH is an international manufacturer of chrome and ceramic Zecher through significant sales increases in this area. anilox rollers. With continuous further developments and various innovations in In addition to the consistently positive feedback received from their existing the field of printing technology to its name, Zecher currently counts on over 65 customers, Zecher has been able to experience a continuous increase in the years’ experience in the manufacture of anilox rollers. Zecher produces more number of machine manufacturers as new or reactivated customers, according than 12,000 engraved anilox rollers annually at its main plant in the German to André Huber, Key Account Manager at Zecher: “We have been able to town of Paderborn. convince more and more machine manufacturers of our anilox solutions, For more information visit www.zecher.com/en coupled with an optimum customer support. Particularly when it comes to large projects, as is often the case in the OEM sector, this service is highly appreciated. Our long-standing, satisfied customer base speaks for itself.” Their long-term partnerships with OEMs include Windmöller & Hölscher, Heidelberg, Gallus, Tresu, Allstein and Bobst. Zecher has also been able to strengthen business relationships with other machine manufacturers such as Soma, KBA- Flexotecnica, Nilpeter and Mark Andy in recent years. Moreover, both parties also benefit beyond the purchase of rollers from the wide range of joint projects in the printing sector. As such, Zecher regularly provides anilox rollers for demonstration machines for trade fairs worldwide, as well as technology centres of the machine manufacturers. In addition to this, Zecher cooperates with sales partners in more the team at Zecher informs and advises end customers about the latest anilox than 65 countries worldwide to offer its customers roller technologies at different open-house events held by the OEMs. With an an extensive on-site-support

| 54 | Packaging Europe INSPECTION

KEEPING AN EYE ON THE LINE: INNOVATION IN INSPECTION

Inspection technology plays a vital part in consumer goods to prevent on-pack errors or contamination, The importance of vision technology obvious hazard, embedded foreign matter may adversely impact the structural which could result in high costs and damage to brands. Elisabeth Skoda explores innovations in print, Vision technology is commonly used to inspect various packaging components integrity and performance of the package,” Michael Coy, marketing manager at vision, x-ray and inline inspection with pulsed x-ray technology. for physical malformation, randomly-occurring manufacturing defects and out- Pressco Technology. points out. of-spec dimensions or other characteristics. It can also be a vital component in In the case of PET bottles, often the best place to inspect for foreign objects protecting consumer safety and brand integrity. is in the preform stage. Contamination, whether loose or embedded, is generally he consequences of an unwanted foreign object in a food, beverage or analyses the relative positions of the marks and sends necessary corrections to Vision technology provider Pressco Technology Inc. engineers and supplies easier to see when the geometric facets of many blown bottles aren’t yet present. pharmaceutical product can be far-reaching – the costs of a product the respective print stations. Sophisticated tracking software developed by Edale vision inspection systems with an emphasis on the manufacturing and/or filling “Inspecting preforms from multiple angles inside the blow moulder and Trecall, for example, and the possibility of a fine from the retailer. Even ensures that no additional corrections are made until the initial corrections have processes of food and beverage containers. Because contamination can occur rejecting them before blowing is key,” Mr Coy explains. causing minor irritation to the consumer can have wider implications with social passed the camera. at any point in the process, distributed inspection is vital. Metal packaging is equally susceptible to foreign matter finding its way into media enabling any complaint or dissatisfaction to be widely shared. Underlying “Working closely with Edale, we have achieved a solution that has “In the world of plastic packaging, contamination can occur several ways: empty containers which could pose a significant hazard to consumers. Can all this is the harm that can be caused to brand reputation. exceeded our expectations,” says David Naisby, business development Either loose objects that ‘float’ in or on the container, or embedded material that manufacturers commonly use vision inspection to detect these foreign objects and director for AVT. “Together, we’ve developed a unified, Helios-integrated plat- is lodged within the plastic itself. Whereas loose contaminants pose a rather remove the container before it is delivered to the food or beverage packing facility. Closed-loop print inspection form performing multiple tasks to consistently minimize waste and increase Print inspection, process control and quality assurance provider AVT and printing overal quality.” press supplier Edale recently presented a fully integrated closed loop image- based pressure, register and inspection system at Labelexpo Europe. The new solution comes on the heels of the successful launch of Edale’s Autonomous inking impression Registration, or AIIR. Integrated on Edale’s FL-3 and FL-5 flexographic presses, the solution incorporates camera technology from AVT that, among other benefits, guarantees a level of registration quality never before seen in single-pass printing. After makeready, AVT’s 100 per cent inspection system runs in the background, ensuring exemplary print quality. The configuration at Labelexpo Europe included a new feature: an integrated, image- based pressure control system. AIIR functions as follows: Registration marks are printed on each station and fed to the AVT Helios S camera positioned at the end of the press. The camera

| 56 | Packaging Europe Packaging Europe | 57 | INSPECTION

“In recent years, there has also been a noticeable shift on the part of filling line. In terms of the product and its packaging, the overall size will be important Mr Murphy goes on to explain the challenges of meat and poultry inspection, able to find all types of foreign objects regardless of their respective position in companies to deploy vision systems as a final ‘failsafe’ check for foreign matter in determining the choice of machine. At Ishida, for example, our range of x-ray and how Ishida tackles them. the bottle using sophisticated camera and pulsed X-ray technology. Full container or contamination immediately prior to filling,“ he adds. inspection systems includes a model with a chamber height of up to 390mm, able “A typical quality inspection requirement is the detection of unwanted bones inspection is playing an increasingly important role during the drink filling process. Another recent development concerns the inspection of decorated labels on to handle large size items such as 25kg blocks of cheese or butter.” in fillets. Because there is a relatively small difference in density between the There is a growing awareness in the beverage sector of the necessity for full con- metal food and beverage packaging. In addition, while most x-ray systems operate from the top down, sending an bone and the meat, the bone can be particularly difficult to spot. This has led to tainer inspection, as dangerous objects can still enter until arriving at the closer. “Canmakers worldwide are now investing heavily in sophisticated, high-speed x-ray beam through a product vertically, for taller pack formats, such as bottles, the development of dual energy x-ray systems, which have two line sensors, one “The compact HEUFT eXaminer II XOS identifies bits of paper, insects or multi-camera inspection systems such as Pressco’s DecoSpector 360 to check cartons and tubes, side-beam x-ray models are available which project the which takes images at high energy and one at low energy. This provides a better film remnants which float about in the product or have sunk to the bottom of every single label of every can during the production process. One of the main beam horizontally. As well as foreign bodies, this also gives them the ability to overall image of the product with a clearer contrast between the product and the the bottle using LED strobes, mirror cabinets and colour cameras which are drivers is the potential danger of a “rogue can” – for example, an empty soda check for the correct fill level and that the is in place. bone or other foreign bodies.” adjustable by motor. High resolution images are therefore produced which show can which has accidentally become mixed into a of beer cans. Another Selecting an x-ray system with the appropriate level of sensitivity is also key, the whole neck, body and base area completely. Bottle defects themselves are driver is the brands’ fierce desire to remove any cans with printing anomalies as Mr Murphy explains. Efficient in-line inspection reliably detected with it besides low density foreign objects. It work even when which could tarnish the value or reputation of the brand,” Mr Coy says. “X-ray inspection involves the projection of relatively low energy x-rays In-line inspection technology plays a decisive role in protecting consumer safety, the faults are covered by material structures such as embossing – thanks to the onto a sensor or detector. As the product or pack passes through the as it effectively prevents unreliably packaged or contaminated products from HEUFT reflexx² real-time image processing system.” The power of x-ray x-ray beam, only the residual energy reaches the sensor. Measurement reaching the market. Retailers are spared costly and image-damaging recall X-ray technology is increasingly being adopted for product and pack inspection of the difference in the absorption level of the X-ray energy between actions as a result. thanks to its great versatility. X-ray inspection systems are able to look for a wide the product and a foreign body enables the foreign body to be detected. “This protects the brand and increases customer confidence in the safety of the array of foreign bodies, including metal, dense plastics and rubbers, glass and stone, Different x-ray models will therefore have different levels of sensitivity. product,“ says Heuft Systemtechnik GmbH‘s editor Hilmar Wagner. and can also carry out a variety of additional quality checks, such as missing, under- Cost-effective entry levels systems, such as our IX-EN model, are able to With in-line inspection, each individual product has to be examined on the sized and broken items, deformed product and packaging, under-filled compart- detect foreign bodies with a reasonably high density. Softer or less dense line by means of a suitable procedure while still undergoing the filling and pack- ments, the presence of cracks and fissures in products, and weight estimation. items like glass or rubbers will require machines with greater sensitivity, aging process regardless of whether it is an empty container or filled packaging Two important initial considerations when choosing an x-ray machine are the such as our IX-GN range.” material. This is the only way to carry out truly continuous quality assurance. It characteristics of the product and its packaging, and where the machine needs Ishida x-ray inspection systems incorporate genetic algorithm software that is equally important to remove the products in question accurately and efficiently. to be placed on the line, as Ciaran Murphy of inspection systems provider Ishida is able to analyse image data over a number of generations to achieve a high “Product monitoring with millimetre precision and accurate rejection systems Europe points out. “Unpacked products such as raw materials for further process- level of accuracy. Since many applications will require the detection of similar including reject verification are needed in addition to the most suitable state ing, or meat and poultry, salad, vegetables and nuts may need to be screened at foreign bodies, the system can be optimised to look for these objects and help to of the art inspection technologies particularly in the high-speed section,“ Mr the very start. Finished, packed product will be inspected much further down the eliminate recurring sources of contamination. Wagner explains. Mr Wagner highlights the HEUFT InLine II IXS, an innovative empty container inspector with pulsed x-ray technology, which was first presented at drinktec 2017. “This state of the art system features a specific rotation and fine adjustment of each individual bottle for eight views in each case and therefore considerably more than a 360° coverage during the camera-based sidewall inspection with double resolution. It offers unparalleled precision during the base, underchip, thread, finish and sealing surface inspection with high performance optics and HEUFT reflexx² image processing capable of learning, fully integrated, optimally arranged and safely encased detection modules including residual liquid detection. The food sector increasingly relies on systems which not only identify metal objects but also foreign objects made of a wide variety of materials. Our further optimised pulsed x-ray technology helps with maximum detection accuracy at low radiation levels.” In conclusion, Mr Wagner emphasises the HEUFT eXaminer II XOS which is

| 58 | Packaging Europe Packaging Europe | 59 | DESIGN

© Mehmet Gözetlik

object itself doesn’t necessarily have to fulfil the communication function in the logos, mainstream media outlets like adage.com and the Washington Post linked way that it used to. Do you see the packaging design of the future being driven the strategic simplification move with my project. In same year, the project was THE POWER OF SILENCE by technology? publicised at the Shanghai Design Triennale in a group exhibition called ‘The Reason for Design Emotion’, side by side with the work of creatives such as The Wright Brothers used the most common and essential materials to Naoto Fukasawa, Zaha Hadid, Ross Lovegrove, Marc Newson, Norman Foster In 2010 Mehmet Gözetlik (co-founder and executive art director of Antrepo) released images of familiar MGhumankind for flying: fabric and wood. Which means Ancient Egyptians and Philippe Starck. branded goods stripped of the ‘visual noise’. The project went viral, in the process shaking the design could have been flying if it had been approved by the religious faiths. It wasn’t until the beginning of the 20th century that religious beliefs were set aside for Have you been involved in any extensions of the work that started in world and eliciting a profound emotional response from millions of consumers. With the benefit of seven progress. Then a phase of passionate human discovery commenced on and TS‘Minimalist effect in the maximalist market’? years’ hindsight Mehmet talks to Tim Sykes about the ideal of minimalism in a maximalist market – and beyond the Earth. We climbed mount Everest, we invented all kind of airplanes, is as passionate as ever about rescuing the human psyche from data overload. discovered new species in new places like north and south poles, dared to leave Earth and set foot on the outer space, on the moon… The minimalist project was an inspiration for the ‘No Noise’ campaign As this simple example highlights, innovation isn’t necessarily linked to new MGby British retail giant Selfridges in 2013. During the exclusive cam- IM SYKES: Actually, minimalism is not a visual style anymore in the big data ideas but rather is associated with a new way of thinking. New ways of thinking paign, the simplified products from major brands such as Heinz, Levi’s, Beats TWhat was the starting vision behind the ‘Minimalist effect in the maximalist MGage. It involves digging through the depth of the complexity. Yes, lead to the discovery of hidden perceptions, solutions for better opportunities by Dre and Marmite were put to sale on a conceptual shopping spot called ‘The market’ project? some people responded that “this approach doesn’t work for Pringles, Corn and most importantly for a better life for all. That’s why the people outside the Quiet Shop’. Flakes or Nesquik.” But I don’t agree with them. This was not a design system generate innovation. Our future can be surprisingly shaped by anyone’s After seven years we’re still talking about the project in this interview. EHMET GÖZETLIK: proposal. I just asked a question through some visual illustrations, in a world unpredictable effect. For instance, Elon Musk’s irrelevance within the automotive A couple of the global consumer packaged goods brand owners, includ- MToday we live in a new world with Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Google. becoming more simplified in the very near future, which side will you be or aerospace sectors doesn’t stop his inspiration to radically shape the automo- ing Unilever, have contacted us to help develop a new approach based We check our emails with iPhones, and read books on iPads or Kindle. A tech more prone to? Are you in favour of ‘silence’ by saying ‘less is more’? Or do tive industry and future of space technologies. on our project. We have created many works which has same up-to-date company Microsoft (as you know, they are not a pharmaceutical company) you love hundreds of varieties of sauces screaming ‘Buy me! Buy me!’? So even though important progress has been leading production technology, design philosophy. We are working for one at the moment to help create is working on the cure for cancer. We are talking about AI, VR, AR, etc. We’re In my view the answer is that we strongly need an update about every part today’s packing approach is so much like NASA’s space programme with similar a better tomorrow. producing artificial organs and talking about immortality. We’re going to Mars to of our lives. design formulas and resistance to change in certain perspectives. However, it is expand humankind’s habitat. We’re working on the Asteroid mining. We’re driv- The project pointed out the obvious necessity of minimalism for the 21st-cen- an absolute necessity to move towards a world with ‘Space-X’ empowered by What is your broader philosophy about the key to good ing electric cars and some countries will completely ban petrol powered cars in a tury persona who is getting crushed under the weight of waves of information. innovative approaches. For such progress, an R&D project with a multi-discipli- TSpackaging design? few years. So our environment has changed and is changing rapidly in progress. For instance, if we produce a new packaging for Nesquik, we need to make a nary approach, integrating design and engineering and led by the innovation, But when I looked at the supermarket, I felt like they didn’t reflect spirit of our era detailed research about kids, their technology, environment, etc. What informa- can be developed. and I would like to ask to other people on this project. Do we need an update on tion is essential for their parents now? By radically simplifying the information You need only one thing for a good design: a problem. A problem that the packaging? or not? on the product, the solutions based on mobile technologies can be endorsed. It seems to me that since 2010 a number of brands have moved MGneeds a serious solution. In other words, your roadmap brings you to Showing less and giving more information via new technologies such as AR, TStowards simplicity just as you anticipated. How do you perceive the influ- good design. You have to be a designer as well as an innovator, as an explorer, Did you always prefer the minimalist version of the brand? Can we draw iBeacon could generate superb consumer experience. ence of the project in the real world? not as an ornament maker or visual artist. It should be human-centred, not TSany conclusions about when minimalism is more or less effective? For functionally focused only. example, is visual noise necessary when it’s a children’s product or when you …So augmented reality and other digital extensions of the physical The project contributed to minimalism by raising global awareness. More designs from the ‘Minimalist effect in the maximalist market’ series can be need to get across lots of information as well as brand appeal? TSpackage or label might further accelerate the minimalist trend. The MGWhen major brands such as Starbucks and Target simplified their found at packagingeurope.com/power-of-silence-minimalist-brand-design-Gozetlik

| 60 | Packaging Europe Packaging Europe | 61 | SPONSORED

EVERY PACK IS IMPORTANT 10TH INTERNATIONAL PACKAGING TRADE FAIR PACKAGING INNOVATIONS 2018 IN WARSAW, POLAND

At the upcoming 10th anniversary edition of the International Packaging Trade Fair in Warsaw, visitors can expect modern, eye-catching designs and innovative solutions for packaging industry.

ut packaging is not only refined design and unique character. It is primarily The place to be Streamline 5 print sample functional and protective. In a world of growing e-commerce and huge For companies who want to showcase their products and services, Packaging Bdemand for packaging in the industrial and food sectors, logistics and Innovations Trade Fair is the place to be. The location in central Europe and its technology are pillars of the packaging industry. That is why, for the next edition, impeccable reputation as an industry leader in packaging attracts visitors both the Logispack zone will be enlarged. from central and eastern Europe, where the demand for packaging is growing The 10th edition of the exhibition, on 17-18 April at EXPO XXI Warsaw will rapidly. The show feature exhibitors from all over the world, such as DS Smith or take place under the banner of Packaging Innovations and Technologies. Metsä Board. Visitors can choose from over 200 international companies. Therefore, the Packaging Innovations Trade Fair is visited by over 5200 specialists SQUID INK: ALL AROUND Simplicity strength and decision makers representing more than a dozen industries each year. Transit packs are a key element of the supply chain. A pack that at first looks plain, becomes a desirable product for mail order companies. Demand for these For more information visit: www.packaginginnovations.pl products has grown substantially. In the logistic packaging zone, companies can find packs tailored to their PRINTING EXPERTISE needs. International exhibitors will present packaging for shipping in all shapes and sizes. Modern production facilities, quality procedures and packaging certifications meet high product requirements. Companies showcase their As a manufacturer of both industrial inkjet printers and high quality inks, Squid Ink provides its customers with flexible and individual approach and the production of personalized packs. a one stop shop for all their printing needs. Elisabeth Skoda spoke to Jake Zender, vice president of sales, and Design and technology in one European sales manager Paul Wheeler to find out more about the company’s impressive portfolio and its push An innovative approach not only to design, but also to the packaging to expand its market presence in Europe. technology is the aim of exhibitors and organizers. The fair will also offer packaging solutions for the manufacturing sectors. Exhibitors will present, amongst others, packaging for pharmaceutical and industrial chemistry as well as the warehouse, logistics and food industries. Innovation and technology will quid Ink was founded over 25 years ago, and has grown from a small Following several acquisitions, the parent company Engage Technologies be a key focus at the event. ink making enterprise run out of a garage to a large organisation Corporation was formed, which now includes Squid Ink, Eastey Enterprises, Visitors will be able to find the latest innovations in design and technology Swith global reach. Originally focused on providing water-based inks focusing on case sealing and shrink packaging equipment, American Film & at the workShops presentation zones, with experts talking about the latest and for large character dot matrix printers, the company moved into the high- Machinery (AFM), which covers shrink sleeve and labelling solutions, and Cogent most effective solutions in the field of brand marketing and presenting case resolution coding and marking sector for both the primary and secondary Technologies, a leading manufacturer of infrared-based ink drying systems for studies in the area of packaging technologies. product markets. the print media and graphic arts industries.

| 62 | Packaging Europe Packaging Europe | 63 | CoPilot 500 Hi-Resolution Ink Jet Printing System

Jake Zender, Paul Wheeler, VP of sales European sales manager

The company has six sites across the globe, with the corporate headquarters Squid Ink’s CoPilot family of products offer high resolution printing and really situated in Brooklyn Park, Minnesota, the European headquarters in The Hague were a catalyst for the industry. The standard CoPilot uses Xaar-based piezo in the Netherlands, and a sales and service facility to support the Asia market in technology to print up to 18mm of hi-resolution characters, razor-sharp text, Shanghai, China. scannable bar codes and logos at 185 dpi. Compared to some competitive “Over the past 10 years we have become a global brand with the emergence systems, CoPilot users can expect 30 per cent larger print, increased throw dis- of Engage. With more than 115 employees globally, we have seen double digit tance, five times larger ink volume and the ability to upgrade to a nd2 printhead. growth not only in the packaging but also the inkjet market.” Mr Zender reported. The company’s most recent product release is the CoPilot 500, designed to Squid Ink recently set up a new sales support and warehousing facility in The print superior quality hi-resolution characters with up to 70mm of print height Hague with a view towards expansion in Europe. The facility contains space for per printhead. It has the ability to run up to two printheads from one controller, glass, wood, coated metal, leather, and more. Users can choose between production manager you can take the tablet away from the machine and work ink, printer, and parts storage, as well as technical and sales support space. The effectively a 140mm print height. a 10W (SQ-10) and 30W (SQ-30) system depending on their specific remotely, or control different CIJ printers right from your desk. location allows Squid Ink to better support a growing list of distributors in Europe. Printing over five inches of print height – 140mm is ideally suited to cor- application requirements.” Underpinning all products’ success is the proprietary Orion software. “I was pleased to join Engage in 2016 as vice president for sales for all our rugated board, but can be utilized on almost any substrate requiring a mark. “All of our CoPilot family and CIJ are tied together with Orion software, which different brands.” Mr Zender explains. In order to close a product gap identified in the small character side of the A smorgasbord of unique selling points guarantees easy operation. By just learning one software system, you can run Paul Wheeler has 17 years of experience in the coding and marking and inkjet market, the company released its CIJ printer Streamline 5, a printing system Mr Wheeler highlighted the fact that Squid Ink manufactures its own inks. all of our printers off one computer. Orion ties everything into one unique system industry, having worked for big industry names such as Xaar, Domino and Hitachi. designed to print superior quality small characters on a variety of substrates. “Thanks to my background in the coding and marking and inkjet industry, overall,” Mr Zender explains. “I am excited to promote the Squid Ink brand in Europe,” he says. Printing up to five lines of text, the Streamline offers a reliable, yet cost effective I am aware that this is not something all major players can do. Some have to Across the group, customers who wish to set up a production line are offered solution for virtually any small character, primary package coding application. rely on outside supply. We have full control of all the inks that go in our printers, a one stop shop with CIJ, laser and thermal transfer printing for primary coding A complete product range It was presented to the market at Pack Expo in Chicago 2016 and brought to something of a rarity in the coding and marking sector.” and high resolution and UV printing for secondary coding. As a manufacturer of coding and marking systems for product identification and market in 2017. “All of our inks are specifically designed for our printers and applications, High quality coding and marking solutions are the very essence of Squid Ink’s traceability, Squid Ink provides high quality inks and low maintenance printing Recently, the company also introduced new SQ-Laser marking systems, as which gives us an edge on the global market,” Mr Zender adds. products, capable of withstanding even the harshest conditions. equipment. The comprehensive product range includes drop on demand (DOD) Mr Wheeler points out: He talks about another feature that sets the company’s product offering apart “We deal with challenging applications, such as printing a barcode on a cata- hi-resolution printing systems, large character dot matrix printing systems, “These laser coding systems are designed for high speed food and bev- from the competition. lytic converter for an automotive supplier. Cars are driven in varying conditions continuous ink jet (CIJ) systems, laser coders, thermal transfer overprint coders, erage, pharmaceutical, cosmetic, and other primary coding applications. “Often, CIJ printers have the screen built into the machine. Streamline 5 has with great temperature fluctuations, and we have manufactured a special ink and a full library of inks and consumables. Squid Ink lasers can permanently mark onto paper, cardboard, plastic, a separate tablet or desktop computer that runs the CIJ unit. This means that as that stays on the catalytic converter over the product’s lifetime,” Mr Zender says.

| 64 | Packaging Europe Packaging Europe | 65 | SQ-10 Laser Marking System Laser print sample

Squid Ink’s expansion plans for Europe are ambitious, aiming to expand been the basis of our double digit growth rates. What we are trying to do with in the UK as well as France, Germany, the Netherlands, Italy, Spain, Portugal our investment is to be as successful in Europe as we are now in the US and and elsewhere. Asia, raising the profile of the Squid Ink brand in strategic locations. The appoint- “I’ll be getting to know existing Squid Ink partners and actively looking for new ment of Paul Wheeler with his extensive industry knowledge and experience was distribution channels in Europe. Lincolnshire based Reflex Labels are our first an important step towards accelerating our growth in Europe throughout our new distributor in the UK, and we are looking forward to working with them,” distribution network.” Mr Wheeler explains. Trade shows and investments A third important point is investment in processes to sustain long term Squid Ink is a distributor-based business, where investment is key, and has Visit: www.squidink.com Squid Ink regularly exhibits at all the major industry trade shows, and was growth, he adds. present at this year’s Interpack in Düsseldorf, Germany and at Pack Expo Las “Globally, Squid has invested significantly in our customer facing person- Vegas. In the coming year, the company will be present at Empack, in Utrecht in nel as well as increasing our sales analytics capability. Our marketing is truly the Netherlands as well as several other global exhibitions. 21st century, offering an online marketing presence and multiple touchpoints Exterior of Engage Technologies headquarters Squid Ink believes that continuous investment is the key for a successful with the consumer. We focus on the three P’s – investing in products, people business, and Mr Zender pointed out that the R&D portion of the business and processes.” is more robust than ever. Mr Wheeler is excited to promote Squid Ink’s presence in Europe. “We made significant investments in our CIJ technology, on the packag- “Squid Ink is extremely successful in the area of high resolution printing ing side, upgrading our equipment, and also in the areas of high resolution across the US and more generally North and South America and Asia. Many and UV cure.” people still don’t know who we are in Europe. But if we can emulate the success The company puts great importance on its investment not just in products, enjoyed in North America, I will be very happy. My primary objective for the but also in its people, the appointment of Paul Wheeler being a notable example. company is to increase the sales of both coding and marking equipment and “We really invest in our people and are growing our own talent from the consumables across Europe. I intend to make Squid Ink products a viable choice bottom up. Many of our sales managers have been with the business for years, for all companies across Europe looking to invest in this type of equipment. The having excelled and moved up the ranks,” Mr Zender says. aim is to raise the profile of the Squid Ink brand across the continent. ”

| 66 | Packaging Europe Packaging Europe | 67 | COSMOPACK Cosmopack, held in conjunction with Cosmoprof Worldwide Bologna, this year’s premier event dedicated to the beauty supply chain, takes place in Bologna on 15-18 March.

isiting Cosmopack helps understanding the evolution of cosmetic business in the world: trends, novelties, smart manufacturing, raw materials, formu- Vlation and packaging design are the ingredients of this unique format. The synergy with specific exhibition areas of Cosmoprof Worldwide Bologna - from Cosmoprime and premium, ‘masstige’ and prestige perfumery, to the companies exhibiting in the halls dedicated to Perfume and Cosmetics, Green and Natural and Country Pavilions - increases the opportunities available to professionals of the cosmetic industry to develop new projects. The Cosmopack Factory is one of the special initiatives introduced for the 2018 edition. In March the format, presented six years ago in Bologna, will pro- pose Powderful, a project aiming to produce a palette covering all the industrial steps from concept-design to the most appealing sell-out experience in the retail channel. Trend setters, designers, influencers, retailers and digital managers will take part in the project. Powderful, whose design will be curated by Centede- grés, international design agency, will have the technical support of a selection of companies exhibiting in Cosmopack.

Packaging Europe | 69 |

Richard Askam DIGITAL NOMAD

HAPPY NEW OPPORTUNITY! Our new columnist Richard Askam (aka the Digital Nomad) woke up on 1st January feeling curiously good…

have a confession to make. Sitting here on New Year’s Day and feeling great is talking only to other packaging innovators and forget to include the customer a little strange. Does that mean I didn’t enjoy myself last night? No. Does that in the conversation. A gap grows between capability and believability. Into Imean I enjoyed myself but have become immune to the effects of alcohol? that gap is injected doubt. The doubt comes from the customers who don’t No. So this must be a symptom of the all-round excitement of another new year understand the process or the pricing or more importantly, the added value beginning. That is outweighing the tiredness and mild nausea brought on by a that comes from the ideas. If you have to convince someone of a good idea, 4am finish to our New Year’s Eve party yesterday. So today I’m looking forward it makes the idea less good (just as explaining a joke makes it unfunny). to what is going to be a staggeringly good year and of course I have to make Don’t be afraid to behave like a creative agency. After all the industry is full some predictions, so you can judge me on them next January! of creative people who see themselves as packaging suppliers. Get out there Ahead for me this coming year I am super excited about my new regular and work it baby! column here in each edition alongside the many speaking events I do across My next prediction is centred around personalisation and customisation. I pre- the UK, Europe and the USA and the chance to explore all the possibilities that dict that in 2018 people will realise that these are two entirely different things. can come from these. I don’t know what I’m looking forward to more - the A lot of businesses have adopted the P-word because they see it as a trend but chance meetings, the innovative discussions or the creative possibilities. These then bent the definition of it to match what they are capable of. In doing so they all combine to make the next 12 months limited only by imagination. There have succeeded in diluting the potential opportunity. In actual fact, the celebrated has never been a better time to be involved in the world of packaging and the Share a Coke campaign was simply mass customisation, not the dawn of a new speed of evolution is breath taking. 2017 saw some groundbreaking campaigns era of personalisation at all. If you are simply choosing first names from a pre- executed across the globe with major brands and retailers all realising the grow- set database, that’s like looking for a keyring with your name on it in a seaside ing importance of adopting a personalised approach to marketing, product and gift shop. For me, the opportunity to offer true personalisation is still in play. Once customer engagement – all enabled by highly creative and talented packaging the brand managers – or Logo Police as I call them – recognise the true value of suppliers. That will seem a drop in several oceans compared to the sheer scale personalisation and allow consumers to add memories, song lyrics, film quotes and breadth of the opportunities available in 2018 and beyond. or anything that means something truly personal to the packaging, then I think So my first prediction is this: simply put, we need to productise packaging we have ourselves a ball game. and add value to it in the same way that the labelling industry has successfully I think that’s enough for my predictions for now for 2018 (unless you count done to date. I was intimately involved in those early personalisation campaigns England winning the World Cup, Manchester Utd winning the Champions that utilised the ease with which labels could be digitally printed in short runs. League and my daughter winning the Under 12’s tennis cup at school this Very short runs. My feeling is if that sector of the packaging world can change, summer). So take a few minutes to imagine how you could be a part of this then everyone can. I believe that this year you will see a number of brands next phase of the revolution and you will soon start to feel the excitement that’s capitalise on this opportunity. But it requires a sea change from everyone coursing through my veins today. And the great thing is, it is all entirely possible involved. Stop being just the supplier of packaging and start being the seller of it! – all the dots that need to be joined up already exist and nothing else is required It’s a very different conversation when it starts with “Look what we can do!” as except for you to join the conversation. opposed to “How cheap can we do this for.” I’d like to wish a very Happy New Year to all readers and raise a glass to you I spent a lot of time in 2017 talking at events about what I term The – the innovators, the entrepreneurs and the shapers of the future, I’ll see you in Believability Gap. This is when packaging innovators spend all their time the next edition!

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