Column: 100% packaging
Best Packaging of the Year 2006
page 8
In Poznan in Poland a the end of November last year a competition took place for the best packaging in the world – World Star for Packaging 2006, which is organised by the World Packaging Organisation (WPO). The packaging nominated from the Czech and Slovak Republics recorded exceptional success here. This is the first time in history that they have been 100% successful in this competition. The World Star for Packaging 2006 award was won by packaging from the following companies: Grafobal, a. s., Krkonošské papírny, a. s., Servis obaly, s. r. o., STI Česko, SVS, s. r. o., and Thimm Obaly, k. s.
Column: Packaging and…
New packaging for the consumer scene
page 9
Every year on the world market there are ever-lengthening lines of new products, headed by foodstuffs, drinks and cosmetics. As a result of this their implementation and length of survival is a greater challenge than ever before. Changes and trends in packaging in the new distribution context were the main themes of the International Congress on Packaging Design Pack.Vision, which took place at the same time as the international trade fair for packaging and packaging technology Emballage 2006 in Paris. Its main content was a discussion on the packaging trends of tomorrow. The current investigation on an international level was prepared by the Intuition consultancy firm.
Column: Trade Fairs
Emballage 2006 presented innovations
page 12
This 37th year of the Emballage trade fair again confirmed its ability to mobilise the entire world of packaging. This article brings information on several of the most interesting innovations out of the total of 240 innovations presented at the trade fair. The author selected the time and temperature indicator from the OnVu series, which are the result of the cooperation of the firms of FreshPoint and Ciba Speciality Chemicals, a new series of laser markers of equipment SmartLase from the firm of MARKEM Corporation and the packaging line for the production of infusion bags from the firm of Alphacos SA.
Column: Analysis of the market
Ukrainian packaging without packaging
page 14
The packaging boom in Ukraine broke out in the middle of the nineties. It gradually began to alter the structure of the packaging produced and Ukrainian manufacturers are now trying to participate in international cooperation. The analysis of the situation in the large and still unsaturated market is offered in his article by a Ukrainian journalist working in the Czech Republic. At the February Pack Expo/Pack Fair 2007 in Kiev, in a joint exhibition with the Syba packaging association, five Czech firms will be exhibiting for the first time: Granitol, Eko-Container Service, Mondi Bags Štětí, Krkonošské papírny and Tart.
Column: Main theme – packaging in pharmacy
page 16
With regard to the fact that some new requirements have appeared for packaging in pharmacy I addressed our largest manufacturer of medicaments, Zentiva, to find out how these requirements are reflected in production practice. The present problems with the introduction of Braille lettering on the packaging of medicines were explained to use by Milan Komínek, product manager for packaging and packaging technology for solid types of medicines – tablets, pellets and capsules.
page 18
The requirement of Directive 2004/27/EC for the execution of the name of a medicine in Braille lettering on medicine packaging for human use has not yet been transposed into Czech law. With regard to the fact that this should have been done more than a year ago, people with impaired vision way justifiably demand to be given medicines marked in Braille in keeping with this requirement of the directive. And this can even be done by enforcement through the European Court of Justice. So far this requirement has not been complied with unequivocally in other European states either, but things are happening (somewhat hurriedly)…
page 20
The Edelmann Group, a leading German manufacturer of packaging on the basis of folding boxboard, has concentrated its production under the slogan „High Q Packaging“ on three areas: premium packaging, pharmaceutical packaging and packaging systems. Premium packaging was presented in detail in the last issue of Svět balení, together with the packaging systems. The production of pharmaceutical packaging, where there is a strong emphasis on hygiene and correct production practice including control mechanisms suppressing the possibility of error to the utmost minimum, is the subject of today’s report.
Aluminium tubes protect the contents
page 21
The production of human and veterinary medicines is one of the most highly regulated and monitored business activities. The extensive process demands on pha
rmaceutical product are transferred to all the other participants in the supplier chain, including the manufacturers of packaging. Whereas in other industrial branches aluminium tubes are used as an alternative packaging, in the field of the packaging of medicaments (ointments, gels and creams) they have become irreplaceable thanks to their practicality, hygienic properties, reliability and other useful characteristics. Experience from production practice was summed up by the sales manager of Alltub CE, a.s.
The active components of the packaging ensure the integrity of medicaments
page 24
Sorbents represent a separate set of active components in the packaging of a product, which are used as protection against their degradation. In the case that they are successfully included in the packaging they can reduce the degree of degradation of the product in a striking manner, improve its quality and safety, and thus also extent its storage life, stability and usability. We spoke about the benefit of active packaging for managing the humidity content and stability of products with Hervé Corr, head of sales in the section of pharmaceuticals, nutraceuticals and medical diagnostics of the firm of Multisorb Technologies, which presented new products at the Emballage trade fair in Paris.
Dosage packaging also as a marketing instrument
page 26
Nowadays, when a larger number of patients than ever before are looking after their health through the consumption of a wide range of medicines, it is essential to support their efforts by ensuring the use of medicines at the right time, in the right quantity and in the correct combinations. This also means ensuring the satisfaction of patients with the form of the enclosed information leaflets drawing attention to the dosage of medicines and with the packaging in general. An important part is played here in particular by the shape and size of the packaging concerned and the manner in which it can be opened and then used. Packaging that can combine all these aspects is what is known as a medicine doser, which seems to be the ideal solution not only for the patients.
Bar codes in the health service
page 28
Within the framework of the GS1 system today in commercial units there are commonly used, apart from basic identification, also so-called application identifiers for coding of further information, which are required either by commercial partners or directly by legislation. Most frequently this is the date of minimum duration or use, batch number, number of pieces or data on weight. Application identifiers enable this information to be scanned automatically in the form of the bar code GS1-128 (formerly designated as UCC/EAN 128), which is suitable for the majority of applications in distribution networks. Selected standards of the GS1 system are therefore used in electrotechnology, the automobile industry, the army and, last but not least, in the health service. Especially in the sphere of the health service there exist various special applications in which it is necessary to identify or map the flows of items that are truly very small in size.
Column: Logistics
page 30
The logistics of medicines do not at first sight differ from the logistics of other types of goods. Medicines, however, represent a specific range, which is reflected in their storage, distribution and transport. They are accompanied by special documentation from the ordering, receipt and then the issue of the goods. The forwarder must also adhere to special procedure during transport and when handing goods over to the customer.
Column: Management and strategy
We are expanding in harmony with the EU
page 32
In the OTK Group printing group there are today three production plants in the Czech Republic, sales representation in Germany and an affiliate in Romania. A production giant has thus been established that achieves revenues of over 1,500 million crowns and the further expansion of which is a matter of the next few months. We asked general manager Petr Ryska about the strategy for the further development of the company.
Column: Technology
Arrival of a new generation of One sacks
page 34
One of the exhibits given an award at the Packaging of the Year 2006 fair was the constructionally new type of ventilated paper sacks, the Oneplus sack from the firm of Mondi Bags Štětí. It is manufactured as non-returnable industrial transport packaging, which is used for the packaging of loose substances and its construction can be further innovated.
More flexible folding and gluing
page 37
At the beginning of last autumn a new folding and gluing machine from Pacific with supplementary equipment of the Polyjoiner type was put into operation in the firm of Model Obaly Nymburk. This progressive system of folding and gluing has been in normal routine operation since October. The combination of Pacific and Polyjoiner recently aroused considerably interest at the demonstration action in Lausanne, where this innovation was presented by the manufacturer, the firm of Bobst Groupage The plant in Nymburk is one of the first in the Czech Republic to work with the Polyjoiner equipment.
Column: Manufacturers
On the German market with labels from OTK
page 38
Obchodní tiskárny Kolín, a. s., acquired at the very end of last year the DPG certification necessary for the production of labels for the German drinks market. The person responsible for the system of production and certification according to DPG in Kolín is Jitka Moravcová, the quality manager, whom we questioned about the details of the approval process.
A new boy on the Czech market for folded boxes
page 40
Rondo obaly, s. r. o., an affiliate of the firm of Rondo AG from Allschwil in Switzerland, has begun the production of cardboard packaging for pharmacy in Ejpovice. During our visit at the end of last year we were the first representatives of the professional press to be acquainted in greater detail not only with the present operation of the new printing plant, but also with its plans for further development.
Column: Packaging and …
page 42
What should it be like to be successful with the ageing population? This question was also discussed at the German Packaging Congress 2006, which in the spirit of the motto Packaging Moves the Market drew attention to further necessities for the successful realisation of products. The German analysts, together with selected organisations dealing with the needs of the older population, resolved questions that are common to all the other European markets, including the Czech market.
Does the packaging sell the toys?
page 44
According to the published estimates of TIE (Toy Industry of Europe) the annual turnover in the sale of toys (and games) in the Czech Republic is constantly rising, regardless of the long-term decline in the birth rate. The reason is in particular the permanent innovation of the range. This increases by 50 to 60 thousand products a year in the world as a whole. The strange thing is that three-quarters of the purchasers are in this case adults, who are not the direct consumers of the products. Their orientation to the market is therefore also subject to media promotion and also to information and advertising on the packaging of the toys. It is they who form the target of 90% of manufacturers. One of these is also the Czech toy manufacturer EFKO, whose manager Miroslav Kotík answered several of our questions concerning the packaging for toys.
