Del Pouch™ Single Dose Frangible Applicator
Alcan Packaging

Highest Achievement Award Winner in Packaging Excellence

The revolutionary Del Pouch Unit Dose Delivery Device from Cardinal Health, which employs a frangible seal developed in conjunction with Pechiney. This patented technology offers an innovative method of delivering ointments and creams in a single dose flexible package. The DelPouch lamination incorporates aluminum foil, a high barrier sealant film and a buried layer of PET to produce a structure that yields excellent oxygen and moisture properties.

The use of frangible sealant technology is the backbone behind the Del Pouch concept as it allows Cardinal Health to seal three of the four seals at high temperatures. When the package is compressed, it fractures the weaker seal and allows the ointment or cream within the package to escape into the foam applicator pad for a single-dose application. Additionally, the frangible seal, coupled with the foam applicator, delivers the pouch's contents in a sanitary manner, without the risk of contamination.

Toblerone Tiny Stand-Up Pouch with Inline Demetallization
Amcor Flexibles

Highest Achievement Award Winner in Packaging Excellence
(Also a Gold Award Winner in Technical Innovation, Printing Achievement and Environmental Achievement)

Toblerone Tiny chocolates are individually-packed miniature versions of the popular triangular Toblerone chocolate bar. The Tinies are sold in stand-up pouches made from Amcor DeMetXP demetallized film that feature several highly transparent windows. In order to achieve the bag's stunning golden metallic look and triangular clear windows, Amcor utilizes a revolutionary inline demetallization process during the gravure printing process which is both efficient and environmentally friendly. During demetallization, the metal layer is not removed from the substrate metal, but rather the demetallizing agent reacts chemically with the metallic layer to create a transparent window. Since the metal layer is not washed away, this new process eliminates dirty wastewater and significantly reduces wasted material as the demetallization is immediately visible during the printing process.

Curwood ArmorX™ CBP™ Bone-In Shrink Bag
Curwood, Inc.

Gold Award Winner in Packaging Excellence
(Also a Silver Award Winner in Technical Innovation)

The Curwood ArmorX CBP (Complete Boneguard Protection) Shrink Bag was recently introduced for large cuts of bone-in fresh pork and beef. This product is an extension of the ABP® (Absolute Boneguard Protection) product line from Curwood. Unlike ABP, the protective boneguard layer extends into the seal header area of the bag. The CBP bag is an alternative to patch bags for large cuts, where total perimeter protection(sm) is extended to the edge of the package. The bag is a winner for technical innovation due to its' unique two-ply construction. It is a continuous lamination of proprietary coextrusion blends. The result is a bag that provides ultra toughness, shrink, and clarity and protection against bone punctures. The inner ply contains a formulation to provide a wide operating window on all types of chamber equipment. Leaker rates have been reduced by up to 50% in field testing in extremely demanding applications. The bag is also well suited for Case Ready applications due to its' high clarity, sheen, and ultra shrink properties. It is two-side register printable to accommodate high impact graphics.

M-16 Rifle Preservation Bag
Heritage Packaging & Valeron Strength Films

Gold Award Winner in Packaging Excellence & Technical Innovation

Heritage Packaging, Valeron Strength Films and Y Cortec Corporation combined their design, converting, laminating and film production expertise to produce this innovative M-16 Rifle Preservation Bag (P/N HPV81503-M-16) for the U.S. Marine Corps. The new patent-pending bag design from Heritage Packaging features a reusable closure and serial number window and provides improved anti-corrosion protection, enhanced serial number tracking and considerable reduction of waste material, while significantly increasing manual packaging speed. The durable, user-friendly bag is made from a new laminated structure called Corrlam™ VpCI® Barrier Laminate which offers unequaled anti-corrosion protection. An outer layer of Valeron® Film provides enhanced puncture, abrasion resistance and strength, while the Cortec VpCI® 126 Sealant Layer provides the anti-corrosion protection.

silvertoe gear® Stand-up Pouch for Women's Socks
North State Flexibles LLC

Gold Award Winner in Packaging Excellence

This striking stand-up pouch for silvertoe gear (a Gold Toe® brand) women's socks replaces an unprinted bag with a printed paperboard insert. The new bag features a consumer friendly reclosable zipper, reduced packaging, enhanced graphics and a dynamic retail presence. The bag can be merchandised vertically (for pegging) or upright on a shelf. The crisp, rigid look of the pouch is achieved through a structure of PET and clear LLDPE, which also allows the inks to be buried, thereby offering glossier, scuff-free graphics.

Fafard Seed Starter Potting Mix Bag
Genpak LP

Gold Award Winner in Printing Achievement

The Fafard Seed Starter Potting Mix Bag was printed on a 10-color flexo press using fade resistant inks and Opaltone's 7-color process printing technique. The resulting vibrancy and strength of the package's reds, greens, yellows and violets are incomparable, and the use of metallic materials further enhances impact at point-of-sale.

Great Outdoors Hickory Chips Bag
American Packaging Corporation

Gold Award Winner in Printing Achievement

Transitioning from the typically used surface printed multiwall paper bag to this reverse printed film laminate stand-up pouch with zipper has placed the Great Outdoors Hickory Chips Bag in a class of its own. The new package provides rich graphics and a glossy appearance that doesn't become worn or dirty during the shipping and storing process (as do the competitors' bags). Printed on a PET/LLDPE lamination, the 6-color reverse printed rotogravure package offers superior strength, puncture-resistance and durability.

Heinz Premium Condiment Stand-up Pouches
Alcan Packaging

Gold Award Winner in Printing Achievement

Entering the untapped market of mid-tier hotels, Heinz Premium Condiments in single-serve stand-up pouches enabled the company to expand their product portfolio, extend their product line and make their condiments more accessible to a greater number of consumers. Printed 8-color flexo, Pechiney used clear laminating resins on the first pass in order to use transparent gold inks to create a shiny gold frame around the copy.

Kroger Private Selection Chocolate Squares Bag
Amcor Flexibles

Gold Award Winner in Printing Achievement

The new Kroger Private Selection Chocolate Squares Bag offers an ideal packaging solution for individually wrapped chocolates. The four sides of the pre-fabricated block bottom bag deliver ample space for product branding and information, and the crisp, upright position of the bag offers high visibility for consumers. Helio gravure printing renders top-quality results, allowing very detailed and small elements to appear clearly and realistically on the package.

Bemis Stand-up Slide-Rite® Bag with Fill-through-the-Gusset Feature
Bemis Polyethylene Packaging Division

Silver Award Winner in Packaging Excellence

This first-of-its-kind bag developed by Bemis for Brakebush frozen chicken products is the first stand-up bag for polyethylene surface printed packaging that incorporates a Slide-Rite closure system on top. The bag's fill-through-the-gusset feature allows the pre-made stand-up poly bag the ability to run on automated equipment which can fill, seal and trim the package, thereby lowering both manufacturing and distribution costs. Additionally, the Slide-Rite feature offers added consumer convenience.

Carry-Fresh® Produce Bag developed by NNZ - The Packaging Network
North State Flexibles LLC

Silver Award Winner in Packaging Excellence
(Also a Silver Award Winner in Technical Innovation)

The Carry-Fresh bag is a consumer-friendly, visually high-impact way to brand and package bulk produce, foods and retail products. Utilizing a block bottom, rectangular stand-up pouch configuration, the bag is made from a proprietary cross laminated polyethylene open mesh nonwoven fabric that exhibits superior strength and aesthetics and machines like film on the Carry-Fresh® vertical form, fill and seal machine. The pre-printed film lamination bonded to the CLAF combines polypropylene to a specifically formulated polyethylene-metallocene blend to achieve maximum strength and aesthetics. Finger holes at the top of the bag enhance consumer convenience.

ColorKiss Lipstick Applicator
American Packaging Corporation

Silver Award Winner in Packaging Excellence

Originally developed for the sample market segment, the patented ColorKiss Lipstick Applicator is a technologically advanced cosmetic product and packaging solution that offers unprecedented advancements in packaging, sampling and consumer convenience in a configuration smaller than a business card. This hygienic and precise lipstick applicator consists of a laminate of film packaging materials specifically designed, selected and manufactured to preserve the quality and quantity of lipstick and to protect the hygienic nature of the product through the use of a tamper-evident safety seal. To apply the lipstick, the consumer simply removes the cover, reverse folds the package at the center line and presses ColorKiss between the lips.

Digital Innovations MP3 Player Side Gusset Pouch
Specialty Films & Associates, LLC

Silver Award Winner in Packaging Excellence
(Also a Silver Award Winner in Technical Innovation and Winner of Members' Choice Award)

The Digital Innovations MP3 Player Side Gusset Pouch represents a new type of package in its market, combining both flexible packaging with an SBS sleeve. The high-tech and high-end semi-transparent appearance of the custom metallized laminate features high quality reverse printed rotogravure graphics that are positioned on the finished pouch so as to accent the printed image on the inner SBS sleeve. The package provides for tamper-evidence as it hermetically seals the inner package of expensive electronic components and also includes a convenient tear notch for further consumer confidence. Also noteworthy is the fact that the substrate allows dissipation of potentially damaging electrostatic discharge.

Honey Baked® Ham Metallized Shipping Pouch
Exopack, LLC

Silver Award Winner in Packaging Excellence

Honey Baked Hams have traditionally been sold and distributed in a signature Honey Baked Ham foil wrap, which is vacuum packed in a nylon-based bag. The new Honey Baked Ham Metallized Shipping Pouch maintains the signature look of the traditional package, but adds the convenience of reclosability for the consumer. What's more, the proprietary metallized lamination has been developed to withstand the rigors of vacuum packaging, flash freezing and frozen mail order distribution of the bone-in ham.

Rapak EvacuFilm Bag-in-Box
Alcan Packaging

Silver Award Winner in Packaging Excellence
(Also a Silver Award Winner in Technical Innovation)

Providing exceptional product evacuation from a bag-in-box structure, this embossed laminated film structure eliminates the need for tubes in evacuating liquids from the bag. The two-ply bag exhibits excellent abuse resistant requirements for liquid filling and distribution. As a result, Rapak has experienced lower material waste and reduced raw material inventory. Additionally, foodservice customers are obtaining full utilization of the carbonated drink concentrate as opposed to the previous bag-in-box styles. EvacuFilm is also manufactured by CTI Industries in Barrington, IL.

Breeder's Choice Pinnacle Dog Food Edge Seam Bag - 30 lb
Exopack, LLC

Silver Award Winner in Printing Achievement

This beautiful large format bag was reverse printed flexo using 8 colors on a high COF polyester film. Switching from gravure to the flexographic process reduced initial transfer costs in this long impression repeat project without compromising the print quality or shelf appeal of the bag.

Scott's Miracle-Gro Potting Mix Bag with Electron Beam Cured Coating
Exopack, LLC

Silver Award Winner in Printing Achievement

Previously packaged in a PE/PE laminated bag that required a specific adhesive suited to all weather conditions, the new Scott's Miracle-Gro Potting Mix Bag developed by Exopack, LLC utilizes electron beam cured coatings in conjunction with the 8-color flexo printing process in order to eliminate a lamination layer. Package performance factors such as weatherability, fade resistance and scuff resistance are maintained while cost savings have been realized through the removal of certain manufacturing steps during the package conversion.