Nestle (North York, Ontario, Canada) released its Turtlest chocolates to consumers last holiday season in a new two-piece carton package. Designed and created by Jones Packaging, Inc., (London, Ontario, Canada), the carton was made in a vertical format where the machine forms 18-pt SBS gift cartons with concave teardrop corners. A Mark Andy/Comco (Milford, OH) 8-color flexographic press was used to print the carton and lid in seven colors, including a gold metallic and UV coating. The snap-fit lid with "ear flaps" was printed on either side with the Turtles logo. The box also came with a polyester product-viewing window. The carton has a locking, end-slide opening of two sides that lean outward, converting the package into a serving bowl.

Fragrance and cosmetics maker Escada USA, Inc. (New York) created Island Kiss perfume for its annual fragrance promotion. Escada wanted a package that would match the pink and blue heart-shaped bottle and turned to La Spic (Paris, France) of the Edelmann Group to convert its design ideas into box form. The converter used a six-color MAN Roland (Westmont, IL) Roland 706 sheetfed-offset press to print on MeadWestvaco (Stamford, CT) Crescendo coated-one-side paperboard with an ultra-bright, blue-white styling. La Spic acetate-laminated it and hot-stamped it with blue and pink tones via a Bobst (Charlotte, NC) 102 BMA machine. Security markings were added on the box using Imaje (Kennesaw, GA) technology. A Bobst diecutter finished off the box's carton blanks.

The 2004 Pro Carton, Carton of the Year award winner, chosen by the European Carton Makers Assn., was made to look like a leather handbag. Containing new Imagine chocolates from Kraft Foods (Northfield, IL), the box changes into a serving dish when opened. Designed by Landor Associates (San Francisco), it was converted by Model PrimePac (St. Gallen, Switzerland). The converter used a Bobst (Charlotte, NC) offset press to print on a one-piece flat, standard board, made with Incada silk, from Iggesund Paperboard (Stockholm, Sweden). A special grey ink was developed under Landor's control, which includes standard silver, pearlescent varnish and fluoro pink pigment. The leather effect on the surface was created with structural embossing and an iriodin varnish.

Brown & Williamson Tobacco USA (Louisville, KY) jumped on a new concept in cigarette packaging—hinged cartons—with its KOOL Fusions line, that debuted last year. The package was designed by B&W's former parent company, British American Tobacco (London, England). The converter used a 10-color Bobst (Charlotte, NC) Lemanic gravure press to create a swirl design in green, red, brown and blue, using inks from Sun Chemical (Northlake, IL) on International Paper (DePere, WI) SBS. The inner frame was printed and backprinted inside the hinge as well. It was diecut on a Bobst SP104ER system with a steel-rule platen die. The lid flips up to open the hinges.

The Gallus KM410/510 is a narrow web printing and processing system that can handle carton board from 0.008 in. to 0.024 in., including laminated. Its printing processes include water-based and UV flexo, rotary screen and reverse-side printing and hot foil stamping. Its finishing processes are varnishing, laminating and window patching. The inline system makes complex folded boxes, blister cards, wraps, cups and lids. Because of its modular structure, it can be reconfigured to do up to 16 operations and be retrofitted later on to meet new customer requirements.

GALLUS INC., 800/248-7649, fax: 215/677-9700, www.gallus.org

Varyflex, a gearless narrow-web rotary press, can easily switch from printing on carton to barrier polypropylene plastic film without the need to change the machine configuration. The print quality and register is the same on either material, co. says. Recently, the co. added the Twin-Cut die-cutting system to the press, speeding up and simplifying in-line production of folding cartons and labels. The unit comes with an automatic system of register control, standard waste removal at controlled tension and a centralized programming system on the control board.

OMET SRL, 39/0341-367513, fax: 39/0341-284466, www.omet.it

Co.'s Speedmaster CD 74 features a coating system with a diagonal register and supports a fully integrated solution for UV printing with the special CD 72 UV model. It can run printing stock thicknesses from onion skin to 32 point board without changing over the transfer grippers. This press comes in two formats: 23.82 × 29.13 in., for running packaging and label products, and 20.87 × 29.13 in., for producing commercial print jobs.

HEIDELBERG, 49/6221-9200, fax: 49/6221-926999, www.heidelberg.com

Novagraf Model FL-40, a CI-flexo press, can be outfitted with a Skyflex sleeve-type unit for carton printing. It runs 24- to 63-in. web widths, has a repeat range of 18 to 36 in. and an AC motor with line shaft or shaftless multiple-motor drive. The press has a maximum line speed of up to 1,000 fpm depending on ink coverage and type and dryer configuration.

INTERNATIONAL MACHINERY, 770/442-9264, fax: 770/664-0452, www.intermach.com