Paperboard Packaging Awards bring out the best
- Published: June 01, 1995
"This year, the National Paper Paperboard Packaging Competition received more than 350 entries, a 25% increase from 1994, and the most in the last seven years," John McIntyre, president of the Paperboard Packaging Council, said. "These creative entries have certainly made the 1995 competition one of the most successful in our history."
This year, several changes instituted by the council were intended to make the competition more representative of the paperboard packaging industry's products.
One of the more significant changes involved separating the entries into categories based on how the packages were produced and how the products were placed in the packages.
The new categories include: hand-erected packages containing hand-loaded products, machine-formed packages containing hand-loaded products or machine-formed packages containing machine-loaded products.
Other changes include the replacement of the Silver and Bronze awards with an all-encompassing Excellence award; the introduction of a Technical Achievement award that judges solely on excellence and innovation in structural engineering and production; and the addition of judges with practical carton-making experience.
The judges evaluated each entry against six criteria including structural design, graphic design, production excellence, marketing and uniqueness of package. Entries deemed outstanding in four or more areas earned Gold awards, while entries who received outstanding evaluations in two or three areas earned Excellence awards.
After two days of review and discussion, the judges selected one President's, one Technical, 28 Gold and 80 Excellence award winners.
The Technical Achievement award was given to the Jefferson Smurfit Corp., Phoenixville, PA, for its production of the integral paperboard pour spout for Beech-But Nutrition Corp., Canjoharie, NY.
The judges agreed the use of a paper spout instead of a plastic or metal spout was a breakthrough. This new carton design also makes it feasible to eliminate carton film overwrap material.
The judges also mentioned the spout's excellent use of paperboard and the ingenuity and creativity of the production staff at Jefferson Smurfit.
The President's Award went to the Rand-Whitney Packaging Corp., Leominster, MA, for its outstanding creation of the street hockey goalie mask package for Franklin Sports, Stoughton, MA.
Structurally designed to the shape of a hockey goalie's mask, an angled tray-type structure was created using a series of angled flaps that lock on themselves.
Graphically, the design utilizes a solid black background and gold key lines to accentuate the angular lines of the package. Product photos and copy appear on the extra-wide rear panel. The bold graphics and descriptive text were found to effectively communicate the features of the product.
"In a nutshell, this paperboard package offers a simple design with many subtleties that make it truly unique," the judges wrote.
This year's judging panel consisted of the following packaging experts: William Baille, former president, The Canadian Paper Box Manufacturers Association; Richard DePaul, president, DePaul Associates; Greg Erickson, editor and publisher of Shelf Presence Newsletter; Todd Hansen, Promotional Industries; Dwight Nissly, former president, Olympic Packaging; Anthony Parisi, vice president, Tambrands Inc.; Peter Vergano, Clemson University School of Packaging; and Jack Williams, former senior vice president, folding carton division, Green Bay Packaging.
This competition has been sponsored annually since 1943 by the packaging council. The council is a full-service national trade organization serving and representing the interests of paperboard folding-carton manufacturers.
Atlantic Packaging Corp. took Gold Awards in the Beverage/Carton and Beverage/Carrier categories for its Citrus Twist Carton and Cuervo Max Pack Carton, both designed for Heublein, Inc. In these same beverage categories, Courier Carton, Inc., International Paper and Riverwood International Corp. also earned Gold Awards.
F.M. Howell & Co. was honored in the Frozen Food and Hardware, Auto Parts & Supplies categories for its fine work on the Cafe Classics packaging for Bongrain Cheese USA and the Perfect Cut account for Union Tools.
Rand-Whitney Packaging Corp. earned five Gold Awards in four different categories. In the Novelty Items, Mailers, Marketing Packages class the company was recognized for its work on the Captiva Date Plus Display for Polaroid Corp., and again for the Gerber Superbrands Starter Kit for Mead Johnson Nutritional Co.
In the Toys category the winner was Disney's Antique Mickey and Minnie for Gund Inc. The Inflatable Sports Ball packaging for Volt was honored in the Recreational Class, and in the Personal Accessories division judges selected the Triple Electric Shavers packaging created for Remington Products Co.
Winner of three Gold Awards was Ivy Hill Packaging. The company took two awards in the Electronic Devices class for packaging it created for Turner Home Entertainment and Silver Burdett Ginn.
The third award was in the Foods category for its Nature's Garden Fruits and Nuts container commissioned by the Natural Foods Corp.
Winners in two different categories were Jefferson Smurfit Corp./Container Corp., James River Corp., International Paper, and Union Camp Corp.
Gold Award winners in a single category include: BCP Taylowe Ltd., Graphic Packaging Corp., Green Bay Packaging, Packaging Corp. of America, Shorewood Packaging, and Waldorf Corporation.
