COVER STORY BONUS:
Premium Tequila Bottle Designs
Push Limits of Machine Production

As a supplement to the September Package Design cover story on Premium Tequila Bottles , we spoke with John Shaddox, president of Vitro, and Thomas Koy, director specialties, sales and marketing for OI Europe, about trends in high-end liquor bottles.

Shaddox explains that many tequila bottles are produced on an Independent Section, or IS, machine. The capacity of the machine is indicated by the set-up; for instance a "10 Section IS Double" would produce 20 bottles at a time. Shaddox says most tequila bottles in Mexico run on an eight-double or six-double.

The more difficult the bottle, or the finer the grade of glass, the less capacity of the machine it will likely run on. Cosmetic grade or super flint glass bottles might only run on a four-single, says Shaddox. Also, square bottles are not as efficiently produced, but the price points of ultra-premium tequilas today often allow for the extra production cost. Other limits include a maximum height of 13 inches, maximum of 1.5 inches in the bottom punt, and a "tip angle" limit, which often encourages thick tequila bottle bases. "You can still do some very interesting things on an IS machine," says Shaddox, even with the limitations.

Koy believes that super flint bottles will continue to be only used with the ultra-premium brands, to add perceived value to the brand. The prices of tequila went up in the last years, Koy explains, due to the lack of available extracts of the blue agave plant as well as growing interest in 100% agave tequilas in the U.S. and Europe. Therefore, more and more "special bottles" were created to "argue for" the higher price of the whole product. This has also created a demand for non-refill closure concepts to prevent refill on the black market with "fakes."

As far as labeling is concerned, Shaddox has noticed that even in higher end, paper labels are still prevalent. Koy agrees that screen printed labels are focused on new consumers in "trendy" tequila brands. The known and respected brands and bottles are still traditional with paper labels.

Koy maintains that vodka is really the "key-driver" especially for new packaging developments in high-end liquor. Most of the European new product developments in glass are already focused to a launch on the American market, says Koy. The El Mayor bottles shown here, for instance, were produced in cosmetic grade glass in France.

Shaddox believes that the tequila market has even more growth ahead, which would be greatly aided by marketing campaigns. "There's a lot of educating that needs to take place," says Shaddox. "I would challenge tequila brands to push the limits on the traditional issues they're stuck with."

WEBINARS:
Designing for SUSTAINABLE PACKAGING Webinar

December 5, 2007, 1 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.
REGISTER HERE

This special two-and-a-half hour sustainability webinar will feature up-to-date insights into the market forces affecting package design and sustainability. Package Design Magazine and the Sustainable Packaging Coalition will cohost the event. This program will probe the real meaning of sustainability as it applies to package design professionals. We'll explore the issues and concerns from several perspectives—the state of the industry, consumer perspectives, marketing strategies, regulatory issues, and spotlighted success stories. One highlight of the program will be a thorough discussion of "systems thinking," where sustainable design really begins and ends, by Curt McNamara. Another highlight is the Package Design columnist and longtime sustainability advocate Wendy Jedlicka, who will tell you how to get the sustainable message out, and how to tie all your efforts together.

The first 300 individuals to register will have free admission to the webinar (after that, the cost is $89.99). All those who register AND attend the webinar receive the 104-page Design Guidelines for Sustainable Packaging (a $35 value, produced by the Sustainable Packaging Coalition).

Speakers include, among others: ANNE JOHNSON, Sustainable Packaging Coalition; MARTHA LEFLAR, Sustainable Packaging Coalition; DR. ELISE L. AMEL, University of St. Thomas; DR. CHRISTIE MANNING, Center for Global Environmental Education; DR. PAMM SMITH, University of Minnesota; GARTH T. HICKLE, Minnesota Pollution Control Agency; CURT MCNAMARA, o2 Global Sustainable Design Network; WENDY JEDLICKA, Jedlicka Design Ltd.; SCOTT BALLANTINE, Microsoft.

Turn ‘Weeks into Days' With Digital
Production Now Available for Download

This 45-minute educational webinar sponsored by Nosco and HP was presented on September 6th, and is now available for download here. The webinar details the ins and outs of digital label printing today, and how digital label production can help reduce costs and cycle times in package or label production, especially for the pharmaceutical industry. The panelists include Craig Curran from Nosco, Vince Pentella from HP, and Ron Romanik, Editor-in-Chief of Package Design Magazine.

Vince Pentella provides a thorough technical introduction to Digital Label Production with a look at market forces, current trends, and future outlook for digital printing. Craig Curran makes the case for digital as a business solution, describes how there is a particularly strategic fit within the Pharmaceutical Industry, and points you in the right direction to get started. Ron Romanik reviews three Pharmaceutical Industry Case Stories that Nosco has coordinated, each illustrating a different key benefit of Digital Printing. The session concludes with a Craig Curran wrap-up and a short but informative Q&A session.

DESIGN:
Celestial Seasonings Brings a
New Sense of Adventure to Tea

Click to Enlarge

Celestial Seasonings, a leader in the specialty tea category known for quality, innovative, all-natural products and a lasting brand personality, embarks on a brand reinvention this fall. Beginning this month, Celestial Seasonings is introducing new packaging, a bold new logo and an exciting new approach to how it delivers tea.

A cleaner, more modern design retains the signature artwork and quotes that have helped make the packaging iconic, while placing increased emphasis on the tea's premium ingredients. Celestial Seasonings' fanciful art has been modified to be more realistic yet imaginative, indicative of the worldly nature of the ingredients and their ability to invigorate the senses with extraordinary tastes and aromas. Consumers can expect the same great taste from its teas, as the innovative ingredients and recipes have not changed. Because Celestial Seasonings has always worked closely with farmers to ensure sustainable harvests and fair trade wages, a special "Ethical Trade" logo now appears on the packaging to communicate this important principle to consumers.

Following are examples of changes made to some of Celestial Seasonings most recognizable box art:

• Though raspberries remain the focus on Raspberry Zinger® Herbal Tea, they no longer hover above soaring tea cups; instead, plump, glistening berries spring from the ocean horizon over a blooming hibiscus patch.
• Honey Lemon Ginseng Green Tea has traded a warrior for freshly cut lemons and thick, lustrous honey coasting down a gentle river that flows from a mountainous Asian landscape.
• Chamomile Herbal Tea features the familiar countryside scene and its charming cottage, but flavorful chamomile flowers now sprout from the edges of the box, replacing the lady in pink.

Though the many flavors and varieties of Celestial Seasonings have a dominant presence on store shelves, extensive research revealed that consumers found it difficult to recognize the brand's entire selection of products. The new packaging features consistent positioning of the flavor name and logo, along with a uniform design structure that enables easier product identification. Artwork focusing on flavor elements to increase appetite appeal and a distinctive color band helps consumers identify their favorite flavors and varieties, such as herbal, green, black, white, red, and chai.

Celestial Seasonings creates unique packaging art for each flavor of its tea, making the package redesign a significant undertaking that required the evaluation of more than 90 individually designed pieces of tea box art. This is the most comprehensive packaging re-design since Celestial Seasonings started nearly 40 years ago. The new packaging continues to use minimal materials, including omitting strings and tags, which save more than 1,650 tons of waste from entering landfills each year. In addition, Celestial Seasonings maintains its commitment to the environment by using a biodegradable, 100% recyclable carton.

The new packaging design is just one way Celestial Seasonings conveys its new positioning of "tantalizing adventures for the senses," which will be at the core of all future initiatives, including exciting new product introductions and integrated marketing programs. This direction communicates the differentiating product attributes that most resonated with consumers, according to research conducted by Celestial Seasonings. These attributes include high-quality ingredients, variety and uniqueness of flavors, and the tea's inviting aromas and tastes that engage the senses.

STRUCTURE:
The Squirrel Brand Company Taps
Sonoco for "Ultimate" Package

Click to Enlarge

The Squirrel Brand Company bills each of its products as "The Ultimate Nut," and with flavors like Italian Black Truffle Almonds and Creme Brulee Almonds, it's hard to disagree. Each of its eight kettle-roasted, artisan nut products is as decadent as the next. So when Squirrel Brand made the decision to market its products to upscale hotels, country clubs and businesses, it needed a package to reflect the sophisticated nature of the brand and to protect the nuts' subtle flavors.

Sonoco had a package that was up to the task, delivering an elegant presentation, ensuring the integrity of the product and delivering a pleasurable snacking experience to consumers. Sonoco is supplying The Squirrel Brand Company with composite cans for eight SKUs, each weighing five ounces (142 g).

The composite cans are made of two plies of paperboard and a foil liner, spiral wound for strength. The cans feature Sealed-Safe® tabbed membrane closures adhered to a metal rim. The edges of the rim are rounded, which allow snackers to reach in for a delectable treat without worrying about sharp edges. A gold polypropylene overcap snaps into place, keeping the product fresh between snacking occasions.

The Squirrel Brand chose elegant, two-color printed paper labels, labeling the cans itself. The company also offers its products to hotels and resorts, country clubs, and businesses for private labeling.

Crown's Innovative Easylift™
Sets New Convenience Standard

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Crown Holdings Inc. announced the launch of its patented Easylift™ easy-open ends, a revolutionary new standard in convenience packaging. Crown is currently working with Nestlé Purina Petcare Europe to trial the new ends on its 400-gram packages of cat and dog food in The Netherlands. Once tests are completed, Nestlé Purina intends to introduce this new standard across all of its major European brands.

Easylift™ easy-open ends significantly improve tab access, while retaining all the opening performance of Crown's flagship Eole™ technology. The end's improved tab access makes it easier and faster for consumers, including seniors, children and the physically impaired, to open canned food products without using a can opener or other tools.

Easylift™ easy-open ends are also compatible with existing can line equipment. Only one-off adjustments are needed, allowing brand owners to incorporate the innovative ends with no production downtime. They also continue to perform through all levels of the supply chain.

Crown's latest innovation is ideal for a wide range of food applications including ready meals, fruits and vegetables, fish, dairy and pet food. Currently available in 73 mm diameter and manufactured in France, production in additional locations in Europe and North America will begin shortly. "Crown is committed to developing new technologies that help our customers build stronger brands by meeting the evolving needs of consumers," says John W. Conway, Chairman of the Board, president and chief executive officer of Crown Holdings.

MATERIALS:
New Evolution2 Box Offers
Luxury Look Without Luxury Cost

Building on the success of MeadWestvaco's Evolution™ line of luxury folding cartons, the company's Health & Beauty Packaging business has unveiled Evolution2—a paperboard package that provides the same premium look as a rigid set-up box (the standard for prestige packaging promotions) but costs less to produce and can be shipped flat, maximizing efficiencies in the transportation process.

Both Evolution and Evolution2 are patent-pending hybrid packaging innovations that feature printed, premium-quality MeadWestvaco Printkote® solid bleached sulfate (SBS) blanks instead of the lightweight paper wraps typically used in rigid set box construction. The blanks are joined to scored chipboard stiffeners using two unique processes to create durable carton structures. The clean, straight lines and strong corners of both Evolution Boxes make them ideal alternatives for cosmetic and other consumer products.

Using high-quality SBS blanks as the facing stock provides a number of aesthetic benefits. To differentiate today's high-end packaging, the board's smooth printing surface delivers superior graphic reproduction and supports demanding finishing techniques such as cosmetic-quality hot stamping, UV offset printing; gloss, semi-gloss, matte and UV specialty finishes.

In addition, Evolution2's SBS substrate masks the rough surface of the chipboard stiffener that often shows through a set box's paper wrap and spoils an otherwise elegant appearance. Plus, since the SBS blanks are more substantial than paper wraps, they can accept significantly deeper embossing for a more dramatic on-shelf presence.

MeadWestvaco's first Evolution Box was introduced in 2004 and has been used by leading cosmetic and fragrance companies for numerous seasonal gift box promotions. Just like a set box, the Evolution Box is shipped to customers fully assembled, ready for filling. The new Evolution2 offers similar high quality attributes but is able to ship flat, to maximize the number of cartons—up to three times as many—that can be transported per load.

When ready for assembly, Evolution2 can be quickly and accurately set up by hand, or automatically assembled by tray forming equipment. According to Pat McGee, director of marketing for MeadWestvaco's Health & Beauty Packaging Group, "With minor modifications, existing tray formers in customer or contract packing facilities can be used to efficiently erect Evolution2 boxes."

Alcan's Brushed Aluminum
Tubes Add Flare to Dieux Du Stade

In Europe, the Dieux Du Stade cosmetic line has chosen Alcan Packaging Beauty's plastic tubes with brushed aluminum finish. The look and feel of the tube gives the brand a sporting and masculine image.

The brushed aluminum effect is achieved through three to four layers of silkscreen ink, processed through specific screens and printed on a plastic tube. This effect maximizes the tubes' tactile and visual impact, both on the retail shelf and in use. To learn more, email TubesEurope@alcan.com.

SOFTWARE:
Markzware Offers Q2ID
Version 3 for Windows XP

Designers, printers, creative professionals struggling with re-creating intricate details of content from QuarkXPress documents in Adobe InDesign can now save countless hours with this exciting release that now supports InDesign v5 (CS3) for Windows. The Q2ID document conversion tool saves countless hours of scanning, re-keying and formatting. This product converts and transforms files created with QuarkXPress on both Microsoft Windows and Apple Macintosh systems, into new Adobe InDesign files.

Q2ID v3 is available for immediate download or on CD-ROM, starting at $199 MSRP for new users. Registered users of previous versions of Q2ID v1.x and above can upgrade for $99.00. Educational pricing and volume discounts are available. For more information, visit www.markzware.com.

ANNOUNCEMENT:
Sun Chemical Realigns Kohl & Madden
and Screen/Digital Businesses

The Commercial Division at Sun Chemical recently realigned its Kohl & Madden and Screen/Digital businesses in North America. As part of the realignment, Kevin Yeazell was appointed vice president general manager of the Kohl & Madden business unit, and Brian Breidigan was named vice president general manager, Specialty Inks, North America.

As vice president general manager, Yeazell will be responsible for growing Sun Chemical's Kohl & Madden business while maintaining his position as general manager of Rycoline, another Sun Chemical business unit. "Kevin brings 30 years of industry experience to the job and has done a tremendous job as the general manager at Rycoline for the past nine months," said Greg Lawson, president, Publication, Commercial & Industrial, Sun Chemical. "I have no doubt that he will play a vital role in the continued growth of our Kohl & Madden business."

In his new role as vice president general manager, Breidigan will be responsible for the Specialty Inks Group, including the screen, narrow web label, and digital businesses in North America. Breidigan's recent position was vice president of sales and operations for the Commercial Group. "Brian was chosen for this role because of his ability to lead organizations and his work in transforming Sun Chemical's commercial sales force. His focus will be to lead this new group in all of our exciting high growth market segments," Lawson said. "I am confident that he will continue to help Sun Chemical and our customers prosper in all of these growth opportunities."