Top developments honored for print, package, environmental and technical excellence.

For five decades, the Flexible Packaging Association (www.flexpack.org) has honored the top advancements in the field. And this year's crop of winners is no exception in terms of the best innovations in print, package design, technical and environmental excellence.

An unprecedented 127 entries were submitted to the 2006 Flexible Packaging Achievement Awards competition. Thirty-five packages received a total of 39 awards, and the winners were feted at the FPA's annual meeting March 8 in Naples, FL.

Taking the Highest Achievement Award is Minneapolis-based Ampac Flexibles, a division of Ampac Packaging (www.ampaconline.com), for its Gleukos® sports performance beverage pouch (right). The 16-oz hourglass-shaped standup pouch is said to be easier to hold, molds to the body when placed in an athletic-apparel pocket, and features Ampac's Smart Spout™ fitment/valve combination. Despite the pouch's taller profile and narrower base, it is stable enough to stand up at retail without any point-of-purchase assistance, Ampac says. Its eye-catching graphics are gravure-printed in four colors via the converter's 8-color Toshiba Sectional Drive GSN 120 gearless press. Solvent-based inks were supplied by INX Intl. Ink Co., and cylinders were engraved by Southern Graphic Systems. The package, previously profiled in Innovations (Nov. 2005, page 2), also won a gold award for printing achievement.

Thirteen gold award winners

The 2006 FPA competition bestowed 13 gold awards on 11 packages. These include:

• SelfVent standup pouches by Amcor Flexibles—packaging excellence, technical innovation.
• Shrink sleeves for Barilla Restaurant Creations stacked pasta-sauce jars by Alcoa Flexible Packaging—packaging excellence.
• Standup pouches for Cacao Noel Fondue au Chocolat by LPS Industries—packaging excellence.
• Compression pack for Cryovac® Dri-Loc® pads by Cryovac Food Packaging Div., Sealed Air Corp.—environmental achievement.
• Easy-open, microwavable package for Cryovac® Simple Steps™ for produce by Cryovac Food Packaging Div., Sealed Air Corp.—technical innovation.
• Pouches for Day Saver Ice Enemy by Flex Pack USA, Inc.—packaging excellence.
• Cool2go® insulating beverage-can wrap by DuPont Packaging and Industrial Polymers—packaging excellence, technical innovation. (Profiled in Innovations, Aug. 2005, page 2).
• Laminated standup pouches for Marks & Spencer sauces by CLP Industries, Ltd.—printing achievement.
• Peelable lidding for trays of McDonald's Apple Dippers by Printpack, Inc.—technical innovation.
• Portion-control pouches for McCormick® "Ponle un Chorro de Sabor" condiments by Printpack, Inc.— packaging excellence.
• Pouches for President's Choice Coffee by Genpak LP—printing achievement.

Twenty-three entries took silver awards this year. Complete details and photographs of all the winners are available at www.flexpack.org