Package Design | packagedesignmag.com

(July 2009) posted on Sat Oct 10, 2009

By Noel Jeffrey

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At the recently concluded 12th annual Global Pouch Forum, the focus was on providing high-performing innovations—some not yet seen in North America. Pouch applications for freezer-to-microwave, meal kits, and sliced deli products—and the technologies making these applications possible—dominated this year's agenda.

Neil Kozarsky, president of T.H.E.M. in Marlton, NJ, says the use of pouches or flexible packaging in general has increased substantially in the past few years in a "macro" sense. "The Walmart scorecard and similar retail-driven initiatives deserve a good deal of the credit," says Kozarsky. "Several major forces are in play—consumers may just be beginning to understand that less rigid materials are not less valuable." Kozarsky goes on to say that the bigger shift may be rooted in the phenomenon that packaging is gradually becoming more of a top-of-mind consideration for the ultimate purchase decision.

"I would argue, what with the dramatic source reductions we have witnessed, that 'bottled' water is essentially 'pouched' water," says Kozarsky. "And, this resonates positively for the consumer. I suspect the manufacturers/brand owners have wanted to advance these efficiencies over the years but wouldn't dare do so unless there was buy-in."

Founded in 1973, T.H.E.M. has served as the gateway for North American companies to find innovative packaging solutions. By monitoring packaging trends globally, T.H.E.M identifies innovations from all over the world for application in a diverse range of industrial and consumer product companies in North America.

Of all the pouch applications out there today, Kozarsky is clearly excited about a product now available in the UK called Dairystix. The company of the same name offers semi-skimmed milk, milk, and half-cream in a tear and pour pouch. It is the first aseptically packed milk and cream in a stick format (www.dairystix.com). "Think about the implications for pharmaceuticals," he says. "This is about as sophisticated as it gets—that is when you can put dairy in a pouch. I would have thought that was at least 10 years out."

"We've seen a fair amount of increase," says Pat Eder, vice president of operations at CLP Packaging Solutions Inc. "Even in the U.S. pouches are catching on, especially for grocery store items like juices and children's drinks." CLP is an international supplier of high-quality rotogravure and flexo printed flexible packaging for a wide range of food, pet food, beverage, detergent, hygiene, pharmaceutical, and diagnostic products.

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