Column: 100% packaging
Packaging of the year 2009 reaches its climax
page 8
Czech national competition for the best packaging of 2009 already has its leaders. The jury of this year’s 15th edition and a board of contributors to specialized media judged 90 submitted entries in six categories. The 43 winning packaging solutions will be officially announced at the Gala Night, which will traditionally take place in the Olympik – Artemis Hotel, Prague, on 19 November 2009. You can preview the awarded entries on page 40.
Column: Current topic – packaging of food
Packaging mirrors its times
page 14
Growing competition on the market puts greater demands on both the packaging design and used materials. The primary functions of packaging are protective and manipulative, but great emphasis is put on the promotional, informational and psychological-aesthetic functions as well. In the consumer targeted packaging of food products and beverages it is vital to combine the two seemingly incompatible demands. The packaging needs to categorize the kind of product and at the same, in order to obtain competitiveness, to give it distinct individuality, i.e. to differentiate it from similar types of products.
Robots in traditional manufacturing of confectionary
page 18
According to the Global Confectionary Market – Trends and Innovations Report by the Leatherhead Food International, the anticipated outlook for 2006 – 2010 is the growth of value index by 16%, which means reaching the amount of over €79 milliard. Sales are estimated to go over 17,8 million tons by the year 2010. In order to keep pace with the growing demand, confectionary manufacturers seek faster and more effective ways to pack their products and get them on the shelves of retailers. Zentis, a confectionary manufacturer, therefore invested into an efficient packaging line from Bosch, which was designed directly for their needs and production purposes.
New Marathon runner in new packaging
page 20
The cheese Maratonec (Marathon runner in English), a product by TPK Hodonín, has since May been making its presence on the Czech market not only by a new product line with new composition, but also by new packaging. The face of the product is now Miloš Škorpil, a well-known endurance runner and promoter of running and fitness. The packaging with modern design and the motto “everyday energy” started to feature Škorpil’s sport tips during the summer. Up until the end of July, distribution line included promo packaging with a prize competition “Miles with the Marathon runner”.
Column: Main topic – transport and export packaging
Possibilities of export packaging
page 22
Export packaging gives us more opportunities than the local market to encounter transport packaging made-to-measure. In making of export packaging, the vital part is to meet the three basic attributes: construction of the packaging, packaging materials and immobilization method. Important factors in selection of packaging are the aggravated climatic condition during transport and in the country of destination, special regulations of the transit country or the country of destination (concerning environment or transportation) and other specific risks. Prior to packing, it has to be determined whether the goods will be transported by plane, boats, van or containers.
PE foams in transport packaging
page 26
Falls, bumps, vibrations, repeated jolts or mechanic straining by pressure are among the most frequent kinds of risks which work on the packed goods. The aim of packaging is to eliminate these and other risks to the most possible measures. Particularly in the case of transportation packaging, all the risks encountered during the transportation process should be made known to the construction designer already prior to construction itself. The effectiveness of immobilization protection often depends on the shock-absorbing qualities of used materials. One of the often used materials for transport packaging is sponge-like plastics, which are well capable of muffling possible bumps. Boxes and transport containers from various materials do partly protect the product from damages; however, protection would be insufficient without effective immobilization. The selection of immobilization materials depends on the possibilities of absorption of kinetic energy transmitted from the packaging on to the product or vice versa. The most common kinds of materials used for manufacturing immobilizations are lignocellulosic materials (especially wood, paper, honeycomb, molded pulp and mainly cardboard), or plastics in various modifications.
Faulted packaging under scrutiny
page32
There has always been a certain aura of mystery around authorized experts. There are usually not needed unless a problem occurs. The author of the article, who is an authorized expert, notes that the most common cause of damage of goods during shipment is insufficient immobilization in packaging. There are no deformation zones prepared on the bottom and sides of the packaging, goods is insufficiently immobilized, products are not set apart from one another. Often, non-quality packaging materials are used in an attempt to save costs at any rate. Packaging regulations are not set-up and the packaging process is given little attention.
Column: Logistics
Gigantic load behind back
page 33
Each shipment of oversized cargo requires specific solutions. There are several characteristics that mark cargo as oversized. The decisive factors are length, width, height and weight. In order for the transportation to be safe it is necessary to keep a number of rules and regulations. Based on the character of the cargo, manipulation needs to be optimized using special equipment. Experts advise requesting documentation of the cargo including specifications on the possible grapping or immobilizing the goods from the customer. This enables preventing damaging the article and guaranteeing more secure manipulation and transportation of the cargo. An important aspect is the selection of appropriate oversized cargo transportation technology. A number of couriers underestimate the issue, which may cause technical complications during shipment.
Column: Technologies
Narrow format reel print not only for labels
page 36
Selection of appropriate print technology is vital in manufacturing printed packaging. It is not only the matter of concrete print technology (offset, flexiprint etc.) but also the form of material to be printed: i.e. whether it will be sheet or rolls. Thicker substrates (corrugated cardboard or thick smooth cardboard or thick plastics) or small print-runs of paper packaging or foils of sufficient thickness can be printed in sheets. This method can be applied even for small print-runs of certain types of labels. It is more suitable to use reel print for thin and flexible materials or larger print-runs up to certain weight.
It should also be noted that after modifying a sheet machine with a roll decoiler with cutting up to sheets, sheet printer can be used, with limited speed and other limitations in comparison to reel printers, to also print rolls.
Column: Packaging and design
Box as a “chamber architecture“
page 52
Interview with Jan Činčera from the Prague based Studio Činčera, which focuses on packaging design, revolves around paper as a visual and poetic medium, demands of contemporary clients on the packaging design and also around experience from international packaging trade fairs.
Column: Legislature
REACH requirements on packaging and packaging machinery manufacturers
page 53
REACH (REGULATION (EC) No 1907/2006 OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL concerning the Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals) is very unclear in the Czech Republic. Manufacturers of packaging, packaging materials and auxiliary packaging means (packaging means for short) and packaging machinery manufacturers are not manufacturers of chemical substances. They are usually just manufacturers of objects and users. Of interest is the concept of introduction of substance into the market: “Substances contained in objects cannot be introduced on the market unless they had been registered”. This means that manufacturers of packaging means cannot use unregistered substances in productions of the means, Moreover, registration has to state that the substance in question has been approved for use in production of packaging means. More relevant information can be found at the website of the European Agency for Chemical substances: http://echa.europa.eu.
Phytoquarantine requirements on transport of wooden packaging from Portugal
page 55
The State Phytosanitary Administration warns subject involved in trade with Portugal that transport of palettes and other packaging material from this country into other EU countries are introducing new phytosanitary measures. Their aim is to prevent spreading of quarantine cankerworm coniferous trees, pine wood nematode (Bursap helenchus xylophilus), from Portugal to other areas of EU. High risk in spreading of nematode is wooden packaging made out of coniferous tree wood. 
page 56
As of 2002, manufacturers, exporters, couriers and other subjects involved in international trade have been encountering the requirements of the FAO ISPM 15 (International Standards for Phytosanitary Measures). The text of the standard was revised earlier this year, and it was updated on the new knowledge reached in the field in the past few years by practical experience with handling wooden packaging and based on research on harmful organism attacking wood, their survival in treated wooden packaging, and possibilities of repeated attack of treated wooden packaging.
Column: Trade Fairs
Nurnberg packaging trio in a month
page 58
The fact that the first impression is important and that packaging of a product has a decisive influence on purchase decision making, is nothing new under the sun. Nevertheless, especially in times of increasing competition pressure and shifting economic prognosis, it is even more important to make a visual impact and push for new outlets. Packaging, printing and logistics will be the theme of the meeting of experts at the Nurnberg trade fair from 29 September to 1 October. Three notable European Trade Fairs will take place there – FachPack, PrintPack and LogIntern.
