The Association of Industrial Metallizers, Coaters and Laminators (AIMCAL) has awarded Graphic Packaging International, Marietta, GA its Metallized Product of the Year Award, for a striking holiday six-pack carrier for Miller Brewing Co., Milwaukee. The top prize was bestowed at a banquet March 15 during the trade group's Winter Management Meeting at the Hyatt Regency Lost Pines Resort in Austin, TX.

A. Graphic Packaging's (www.graphicpkg.com) Beverage Div. handled both structural design and converting duties for the Miller Lite holiday carrier project, which was recognized for both its marketing and technical merit. Holographic film is converted at Graphic Packaging's facility in Golden, CO, using a holographic substrate supplied and metallized by Spectratek Technologies, Inc., Los Angeles. Printed in ultraviolet flexo inks, the blue ink over the lens pattern hologram creates a “twinkle” that gives the appearance of holiday lights.

The holographic film also features electron beam coatings, a pioneering use of this technology. To produce the carrier, the film is laminated to the kraft side of the AquaKote board at the converter's lamination facility in Tuscaloosa, AL. Lamination to the kraft side positions the white clay-coat on the inside of the finished carrier to reflect light and present an ultra-clean look. The lamination runs at regular speeds, without equipment adjustment, on the filling lines in the glass house and breweries.

Judges were impressed with both the technical and marketing aspects of the package and their superior execution. On the technical side, they believe it is one of the first commercial uses of electron-beam curing on the market and also were intrigued by the smooth brightness of the interior and the holographic cell dividers.

On the marketing side, the judges noted the depth and three-dimensional appearance of the holographic images, the high-intensity “sparkle” and the close relationship to the holiday label for the bottles. “I noticed this entry as soon as I walked into the room,” said one. “It's eye-popping,” commented another.

B. Graphic Packaging also took home the Technical Award in the Food Category for both designing and converting a dual-susceptor pot pie package for Heinz South Africa (PTY) Ltd., Paarl, South Africa. Heinz South Africa wanted to make the pot pie dramatically more convenient for consumers by adding microwavability and reduced cooking time.

The new dual-susceptor QwikCrisp® Pot Pie Bowl with MicroFlex®-Q patched carton replaces a standard carton and aluminum bowl that was unsuitable for use in the microwave. It ensures the crust browns top and bottom when the frozen pot pie is heated in the carton in the microwave oven and cuts cooking time to five minutes, an 85 percent reduction versus the 30-35 minutes needed for preparation in a conventional oven. The QwikCrisp paperboard bowl is dual-ovenable and runs on high-speed packaging equipment.

Graphic Packaging produces the uncoated paperboard/adhesive/susceptor/48-gauge polyethylene terephthalate (PET) bowl using a patented process to laminate solid bleached sulfate from International Paper, Memphis, with a high-temperature-resistant metallized polyester film from Celplast Metallized Products, Toronto. The MicroFlex-Q patch for the carton consists of paper/adhesive/patterned susceptor/48-gauge PET. The converting process adheres the patterned susceptor from Rol-Vac LP, Dayville, CT, to the PET film and then adhesive laminates the susceptor/PET structure to the paper. The susceptor patch is attached to the interior of the carton on high-speed packaging lines.

Judges loved the cook-in-carton concept and the use of dual susceptors to optimize the microwave heating process. “Too bad the product is not available locally,” said one member of the Chicago-based judging panel.

C. The Marketing Award in the Food Category went to Celplast Metallized Products (www.celplast.com) for metallization of a film used by Siptop Packaging Inc., Mississauga, Ontario, Canada, for its pouched IV–Iced Vodka frozen cocktail destined for the European market. The single-serving stand-up pouch, designed by Perrenial, Toronto, is formed, filled and sealed on custom filling equipment. The tapered top with an easy-open tear notch serves as a “straw” for sipping the vodka slushy. Easy to store, it occupies less shelf space and weighs less than bottles or cans of comparable volume.

The metallized nylon supplied by Celplast is part of a three-layer structure converted by Packall Packaging Inc., Brampton, Ontario, Canada—reverse-printed 48-gauge polyester/metallized 60-gauge nylon and a 3-mil blend of ethylene vinyl alcohol (EVOH) and linear-low-density polyethylene that ensures good sealability and minimizes the chance of leakers. The nylon layer imparts the durability and puncture resistance required for this supply chain and consumer handling; while the metallizing on the nylon layer and the EVOH in the sealant layer provide the oxygen barrier needed by the product. In addition, the metallized appearance coupled with high-impact graphics build brand identity and help the Iced Vodka pouch stand out on the shelf.

The judges agreed that the metallized film provides the shelf “pop” that SipTop was seeking, and noted that the application deserves special recognition because it extends the use of metallized material into a new market—single-serving alcoholic beverages. “This design breaks the mold for how this type of product has traditionally been offered,” they concluded.

D. In the Healthcare Category, Fairfield, NJ-based Unifoil Corp., (www.unifoil.com), captured the Marketing Award for a holographic family of cartons for a Back to School promotion for Puffs tissues from Procter & Gamble Co., Cincinnati. Designed and contract-packaged by Specialized Packaging Group, London, Ontario, Canada, and Rock-Tenn Co., Norcross, GA, the holographic, acrylic-coated Unilustre metallized paper is converted by Unifoil in four patterns, Wheels, Lots of Dots, Rainbow and Pillars of Light.

Printing different graphics in multiple colors results in a large array of designs. In production, Unifoil uses film from Toray Plastics (America) Inc., North Kingstown, RI, metallized by Crown Roll Leaf, Paterson, NJ, to transfer-metallize the Unilustre paper, which is then laminated to 16-point solid bleached sulfate using Ultraflex adhesive to prevent stress cracking at folds and corners.

The Back-to-School promotion, which shrink-wrapped two holographic cartons with one regular carton, was so successful in generating volume and margin improvement, the holographic cartons will become part of the brand's everyday line in 2007.

The transfer-metallized paper/paperboard exhibits excellent printability, sealability and deadfold characteristics that could not have been accomplished with a film laminate. As a result, the holographic paper/paperboard cartons run without a problem through the high-speed printing and gluing equipment used for regular Puffs cartons.

The judges were excited about the expansion of holographic cartons beyond special-occasion promotions to the everyday lineup. “This represents a significant milestone in the use of holographic material in this segment,” they noted. “From a kid's perspective these designs are great,” observed the moms on the panel.

E. The Marketing Award in the Healthcare, Cosmetics and Toiletries Category went to Holyoke, MA-based Hazen Paper Co. (www.hazen.com), for a gift box for Elizabeth Taylor White Diamonds from Elizabeth Arden, New York. Although similar gift boxes have been recognized in past competitions, this one takes the technology to a new level with a bi-directional pattern that looks like it is embossed. Designed and contract-packaged by Hub Folding Box, Mansfield, MA, the set-up box features 48-gauge silver metallized polyester laminated to the coated side of 20-point solid bleached sulfate with water-based adhesive. The silver film, which was metallized by Adherent Technology, Granby, CT, also was coated with Hazen's Ultracure acrylic lacquer. The silver base makes the rich gold-tone possible and enhances the large holographic effect, which was stamped on the surface using a metallized transfer film.

“The precision of the registration is incredible,” noted the judges, who also were impressed by the bidirectional effect of the dot pattern on the top of the box. “The box looks faceted,” commented one.

F. In the Decorative Display Category, Unifoil Corp. received another Marketing Award for striking blue holiday gift boxes for Grey Goose Vodka from Bacardi USA Inc., Miami. Unifoil served as converter with metallizing assistance from Celplast, and Hub Folding Box, Mansfield, MA, provided both contract-packaging and package-design services for the project. Windowed gift boxes showcase either a single bottle or a single bottle plus complimentary martini glass. Designs rely on acrylic-coated, low-haze, 48-gauge metallized polyester from Toray Plastics (America) laminated to 28-point solid bleached sulfate, which provides strength despite the large window area. The larger box that holds the bottle and glass features a three-panel magnetic closure, reportedly the first of its kind. A two-tone blue matte and gloss-printed surface discourages fingerprints. A diagonal ribbon enhances the gift-box appearance.

The judges were impressed by the flawless execution and the strong premium image presented by the windowed cartons. “The blue area of the box looks like silk,” commented one judge. “And the white ink laydown on the back panel completely covers the metallized surface to ensure clear reproduction of the printed product information,” observed another. “All the elements really work together on this package,” the panel concluded.

G. In the Label, Retail Category, Franklin, MA-based Vacumet Corp. (www.vacumet.com), received the Technical Award for the holographic label Miller Brewing used for its holiday promotion of Miller Lite beer. Vacumet supplied and metallized the HoloPRISM holographic wet-strength substrate, which was printed with conventional inks on a gravure press at Multi-Color Corp., Norway, MI.

Opaque white accentuates the graphics of the label and highlights the diffractive, dazzling quality of the stock crystal ice flake/chipped glass hologram pattern. The effect sparkles under lighting conditions in bars and restaurants, as well as on store shelves to enhance the image of a cold, refreshing beverage.

Graphics match the holiday six-pack carrier mentioned earlier. The HoloPRISM holographic paper was required to be a drop-in replacement for Vacumet's metallized VacuBrite paper that Miller usually uses for its labels. Pre-promotion tests showed the HoloPRISM label would provide the ink adhesion, rub resistance, and printing and cutting performance required and run without a hitch at all locations.

Judges recognized the careful attention to detail required to create an affordable holographic label that applies at normal line speeds, adheres properly and looks good under all the conditions likely to be experienced by the labeled bottle—including submersion in ice water. The judges also thought the label worked extremely well with the holiday carrier to present an attention-grabbing, unified image destined to encourage impulse purchases during the holiday season.

H. Extending the use of metallized material to a household product earned Vacumet a second Technical Award, this one in the Nonfood Category. The DampRid Hanging Moisture Absorber from DampRid, Orlando, FL, features a hanger-mounted, dual-chamber pouch that contains moisture-absorbing calcium carbonate plus a deodorizer in the top chamber and a lower chamber to hold the water collected. Designed to remove humidity in confined spaces, the dehumidifying pouch is nonspillable under normal use conditions and serves as an alternative to pail options that can be tipped over.

Vacumet served as metallizer for the polyester, which is supplied by DuPont Teijin Films, Hopewell, VA. The pouch material is converted by Star Packaging, College Park, GA, and consists primarily of a metallized polyester/2-mil low-density polyethylene laminate. However, to provide the permeability needed for the calcium carbonate to work, the front of the top pouch features a printed synthetic paper. With an optical reading of 0.40, the metallized laminate is opaque enough to discourage light transmission that encourages bacteria/mold growth, yet transparent enough to allow the user to visually inspect the amount of collected water and determine when the pouch needs to be replaced.

The judges liked the unique combination of permeable and barrier materials and felt the dual-chamber design enhances the interactive nature of the humidity-control product and makes it simple to use. “It's easy to tell that it's working,” said one. “This is better than a pail, which could tip or pose a hazard for kids or pets,” noted another.

Judges for the 2007 competition included several Chicago-based converting experts, including Travis Funk, senior packaging engineer, Diageo; Panos Kinigakis, CPP, senior technology principal R&D, Kraft Foods; Stan Kopecky, packaging consultant, SJK Packaging Associates; Paula Record, CPP, senior development engineering manager, Packaging, Unilever Home and Personal Care N.A.; Dean Lindsay, principal, dean LINDSAYdesign; Melissa Larson, managing editor, Converting; and Yolanda Simonsis, associate publisher/editor, Paper, Film & Foil Converter. AIMCAL Awards Committee Chair Steve Sedlak, sales manager, ESK, a Ceradyne Co., Saline, MI, moderated the judging session.