Containers

New plant food package reduces product returns

Retailers were returning a percentage of EnviroSafe Lab’s Dynamite Plant Food unsold because the product’s tubular containers cracked during distribution or became weathered over time when exposed to rain and the sun’s heat on the shelves outside of lawn-and- garden centers.

July 31, 2005

Leaders (UNIVERSAL TAXONOMY PW): Page 1411

Closures

Anheuser-Busch to double aluminum beer bottle capacity

According to St. Louis-based Anheuser-Busch, demand from retailers, wholesalers, and consumers for its beer in 16-oz aluminum bottles is so strong that the brewer will double its capacity for the package by this fall.

July 31, 2005

Flexibles

Labatt launches first insulated beer cans

The new 473-mL (16-oz) Labatt Blue Cold One beer from Labatt Breweries of Canada, Toronto, Ontario, is packaged in aluminum cans wrapped in preprinted, insulated shrink labels.

July 31, 2005

Flexibles

Analyst expounds on food packaging trends

Esther Palevsky, an analyst for the Freedonia Group, listed the following as key food packaging trends:

July 31, 2005

Labels

Bottle sports a gripping redesign

Coca-Cola North America introduced in April a new bottle design for its Powerade sports drink that's easier to hold and grip.

July 31, 2005

Flexibles

Package redesign precipitates White Rain sales gain

Diamond Products Co. reports a 16% increase in first quarter 2005 sales of its White Rain-brand shampoos and conditioners, following a packaging redesign.

July 31, 2005

Coding, Printing & Labeling

Mobile RFID

If you have fixed your data collection plans solely on RFID reader-antennae portals, then you may want to recalibrate your strategy a bit. Vendors offer wireless mobile solutions that permit flexible alternatives to fixed portals for RFID data acquisition.

July 31, 2005

Converting equipment

Sites

New or enhanced Web sites

July 31, 2005

Conveying & accumulation

Clabber Girl's plant guy

Ed Wilkins, executive director of plant operations for Clabber Girl Corp., Terre Haute, IN, has more than 25 years with the 155-year-old company.

July 31, 2005

Flexibles

Clarity, gloss help India cosmetics brand bloom

The cosmetics industry is growing rapidly in India, and cosmetics companies in that country are beginning to grasp the importance that visual clarity and gloss play in package design.

July 31, 2005

Blisters/clamshells/thermoforming materials

Shapely cartons redefine Turtles brand

Nestlé Products of Canada posed this challenge to One80Design in updating the packaging for its venerable Turtles brand: Redefine the brand, but maintain the emotional equities and heart-felt delight that consumers feel toward the brand.

July 31, 2005

Coding, Printing & Labeling

Percent ingredient labeling

The U.S. is likely to oppose any effort by the Codex Alimentarius Commission to adopt an international labeling standard that calls for listing the percentage of the main ingredients on a packaged food label.

July 31, 2005

Coding, Printing & Labeling

Nutrition labeling a burden?

A study by Duke University's Fuqua School of Business found that the nutrition labeling mandated by the 1990 Nutrition Labeling and Education Act may have had the unintended consequence of driving out small food companies in some categories.

July 31, 2005