IoPP announces AmeriStar  2008/2009 award winners

Judges evaluated and analyzed packages from over 15 categories on January 22, 2008. Over 125 packages were submitted for award consideration in North America's most prestigious packaging awards competition. Judging – which took place at IoPP headquarters in Naperville, Illinois – was based on package innovation, sustainability, protection, economics, performance, and marketing.
 
35 packages were chosen as winners across categories including: 9 winners in the Food category; 2 in Food-Institutional; 5 in Beverage; 6 in Health & Beauty Aids; 1 in Household Products; 2 in Electronics; 1 in Other Retail; 1 in Regulated Packaging; 4 in Medical Device; 2 in Industrial/Commercial; and 2 in Promotional.

Top winners included Medtronic’s new Stylet Kit Package, which won the AmeriStar Best of Show Award, sponsored by Lansmont Corporation.

Sealed Air won this year’s 3M Sustainable Packaging Award, for the Renew-a-PAK™ package. The 3M Sustainable Packaging Award, sponsored by 3M, goes to the package that scores highest in reducing the impact on the environment. This includes efficient energy usage, recycling efforts, effective use of packaging materials, recovery and/or eco-friendly raw materials.

Awards will be presented to winners during the AmeriStar Package Awards Reception, taking place on May 19, 2009, at the Hyatt Regency O’Hare, in Rosemont, IL., during the IoPP Packaging Summit ‘09 (May 19-20, 2009).

Top IoPP AmeriStar Award Winners:

AmeriStar Best of Show (sponsored by Lansmont)
Category: Medical Device
 
New Stylet Kit Package
New package is 80% smaller than previous design while reducing package waste by 54%. The new design also eliminated PVC from the package. The new downsized package utilizes a clip-less dispenser and DVD case.  Symbols labeling reduced final product configuration from 237 to 42.

Submitted by Medtronic

3M Sustainable Packaging Award (sponsored by 3M)
Category: Food

Renew-a-PAK™
Manufactured in the USA by Biosphere Industries and using almost exclusively yearly renewable starch and plant materials, Renew-a-PAK™ compostable rigid packaging, enables bakery items to be baked, shipped and served in a more environmentally responsible manner with performance that matches or exceeds competitive cooking options.

Submitted by: Sealed Air Corporation

All other AmeriStar winners:

Category: Food

Post Consumer Recycled PET (rPET) in Frozen Food Trays
ConAgra Foods' inclusion of rPET into CPET trays for Frozen Foods has driven large positive environmental impacts without any negative impact to consumer use, quality, or costs.

Submitted by: ConAgra Foods, Inc.

Archer Farms Linearpak®
Target's new Sonoco-made cereal boxes promise to bowl consumers over.  The shaped Linearpak packages make Archer Farms cereals easy to open and hard to miss.

Submitted by: Sonoco

Cryovac® Multi-seal™ package
Cryovac® Multi-seal™ package is a reclosable flexible package for sliced deli meats and cheeses that can be easily and reliably opened and resealed numerous times over the life of the product.  It runs on existing thermoforming equipment so there is no need to invest in auxiliary equipment.

Submitted by: Cryovac

Food Should Taste Good - OTM™ Structure
Printpack Inc. developed the OTM™ structure to provide Food Should Taste Good with an attractive, cost effective 3-layer alternative to the standard 5-layer lamination.  OTM™ eliminates bag burst from high altitude pressure, while also reducing the amount of raw material utilized in the package's construction.

Submitted by: Printpack Inc.

Renew-a-PAK™ Bake Ware
With the introduction of Renew-a-PAK™ compostable bake ware, bakery items can be baked, shipped and served in a more environmentally responsible manner without transferring products from a baking system to a display system.

Submitted by: Sealed Air Corporation

International Delight
An initial plan for a quick-fix to the International Delight package turned into a mission to achieve elegance, sophistication and category differentiation.  Product Ventures had the solution.

Submitted by: Product Ventures

Plastic Extract Bottle with Drip-less Pour Spout Flip Top Closure
McCormick's® new Extract package not only offers sustainability with weight and footprint reductions by converting the bottle from glass to PET, but also offers a specially designed, consumer preferred, drip-less pour spout closure.  All this while maintaining the appealing flavor and aroma of McCormick Extracts.

Submitted by: McCormick & Company, Inc.

Rigid Plastic Container Made With Diamond Technology
Diamond technology is a unique, patent-pending approach to reduce material by 20%-30% in square and rectangular rigid plastic containers while maintaining stack strength.  This has been applied to a range of sizes, from 1.75 to 5.3 gallons, to service the food industry, even though these containers can be used across many different non-food applications as well.

Submitted by: Ropak Packaging

Modified Atmosphere Recloseable Natural Sliced Cheese Package
Great Lakes Cheese, Inc., in partnership with Winpak Portion Packaging, Inc, Winpak, LTD., Harpak, Inc., and G. Mondini S.p.A., developed the modified atmosphere, recloseable Natural Sliced Cheese Package.  The package is a combination of three components: a rigid thermoformed high barrier tray; a non-forming high barrier peelable lidding film; and a rigid high clarity, UV blocking plug fit lid. Combined, the three components provide a significant functionality and convenience upgrade over the zipper bag package for the natural sliced cheese market. The package was designed to run on Harpak/Mondini's proprietary tray sealing line.  With this improved package, Great Lakes Cheese is able to offer natural sliced cheese with a 6-month shelf life that can be merchandised on retail existing peg board and spring loaded shelving systems.

Submitted by: Winpak Portion Packaging, Inc.

Category: Food–Institutional

Container with Curved Auto-Bottom Lock & Bow-tie Locking Lid
This container creatively marries the product and package.  Using an innovative curved auto-bottom lock along with creative graphics delivers a uniquely Asian themed appearance.  This imaginative package delivers the desired product image while providing significant benefits throughout the supply chain.

Submitted by: HAVI Global Solutions

Pactiv's "Denny's® Dome"
A challenge in regards to take-out food is how to maintain the restaurant quality.  Traditional take-out containers have not addressed the specific temperature and humidity requirements for different food types in one container.  The Denny's® Dome introduces the first and only container developed to solve these challenges.  This revolutionary 3-zone temperature and humidity control container incorporates several features that appeal to both customers and end users alike.

Submitted by: Pactiv Corporation

Category: Beverage

Reily Foods 16-oz RTD Luzianne Tea Bottle
The brand's first RTD (ready-to- drink) line features a PET bottle first - a slightly tapered shape on a pedestal - with enhanced hand-feel and a patented, panel-less design for wrinkle-free labeling.

Submitted by: Amcor PET Packaging

First Juice
Innovative no-spill closure provides an economical, yet safe, disposable sippy cap package designed just for juices for toddlers.  Automated closure assembly process makes for economical closure and closure design  appeals to stressed, time-starved parents.

Submitted by: TricorBraun

PET Bottle for Boisset Family Estates' Beaujolais Nouveau
Boisset chose Constar to supply MonOxbar™, an oxygen scavenging technology, and pre-forms used to make its new 750mi PET wine bottles.  Oxygen is kept from permeating into the bottle, thereby protecting the flavor, aroma and color of the wine inside.

Submitted by: Constar International, Inc.

Crown Royal Green Gifting
For the 2008 holiday season, Diageo's value added packaging (VAP)  team and Hub Folding Box (their primary gift carton supplier), redesigned its premium spirits gift packs to be 100% recyclable.  Through this effort they eliminated the use of plastic resin PVC and metalized polethlene ("MPE") laminated board.

Submitted by: Diageo

Starbucks Hot Vending Package
This initiative is managed by the North American Coffee Partnership (NACP), the joint-venture between Starbucks Coffee Company and PepsiCo. With this proprietary heat-on-demand vending machine and package, customers can enjoy the high quality beverage they expect from Starbucks in a convenient ready-to-drink (RTD) package.  With the swipe of a credit card or cash, a hot cafe latte or hot cocoa is dispensed in a nine fluid ounce, recyclable steel can.  With protective over-caps and insulating label, designed to be more comfortable to the touch, the package is functional within the vending machine and delivers a premium product.  Once dispensed, the consumer just pulls the stay-on tab (SOT) and enjoys one of the six Starbucks varieties.

Submitted by: PepsiCo

Category: Health & Beauty Aids

Estee Lauder TurboLash All Effects Motion Mascara
The launch of the Estee Lauder TurboLash™ product demonstrates an interesting method for successfully commercializing a new idea-and a new product category.  Estee Lauder introduced TurboLash™, the world's first "turbo-charged" motion mascara with a vibrating brush.  This groundbreaking mascara technology utilizes vibration to volumize, separate and lengthen lashes.  The Turbolash package was formed in concert with formula breakthroughs provides a perfect marriage of form and function.

Submitted by: Estee Lauder Inc.

Bobbi Brown Custom Palettes
Personalized Beauty. Sleek, new flip-top compacts designed with pop-out godets allows shades to be assembled into customized palettes.  Eye Shadow and blush can be used individually or assembled into Bobbi's 2, 3, 4, 6 and 9 Pan Palettes.  These empty mirrored palettes are designed to be custom-filled.  Ideal for at home or on-the-go.

Submitted by: Bobbi Brown Cosmetics (Estee Lauder Inc.)

MAC Mineralize Makeup
The Mineralize Loose Powder package consists of a matte black ABS/SAN decorated jar, PP sifter, and ABS/SAN integrated cap and product applicator.  The inside of the cap/applicator assembly consists of a flocked tip surface designed to apply product directly to the face.  This unique application process solves the problem of traveling with loose mineral makeup and a separate brush.

Submitted by: MAC

L'Oreal Infallible Lip Color
Infallible is the first 2-in-1 long lasting lip color that innovatively houses two products, side-by-side, in a lavish metalized chrome casing which doubles as a mirror, making this package very user friendly.

Submitted by: Topline Products Company, Inc.

Podle™
Introducing the MWV Calmar pocket-size, portable Podle™ customized to extend Unilever's "SunSilk" brand to a new level of convenience and design.

Submitted by: MWV Calmar

Artistry Crème L/X
Artistry Crème L/X is a prestige skin care product that offers the latest in anti-aging technology.  The custom shaped jar and closure and secondary package ("trophy case") were designed to communicate the cutting edge technology of the product while still being an elegant and functional package.

Submitted by: Access Business Group

Category: Household Products

Clorox Disinfecting Wipes Décor series
A beautiful, innovative packaging form to motivate consumers to get Clorox Disinfecting Wipes out of their cupboard and on the counter top.

Submitted by: Clorox Company and Union Street Packaging

Category: Electronics

Minn Kota AutoPilot Plug In Modules
Display Pack designed and produced the prototype plastic insert and the printed auto bottom carton for the Minn Kota AutoPilot plug-in module.  The innovative design has a dual purpose of protecting the sensitive module while packaged and becoming a device for an easy and accurate installation.

Submitted by: Display Pack

Hewlett Packard's (HP) U M5035 Clearview Package
Hewlett Packard's Clearview design approach for large LaserJet printers provides a "see-through" cost effective, environmentally friendly package.

Submitted by: Hewlett Packard

Category: Other Retail

PALPODZZ PDQ
This design concept uses innovative interaction of plastic and corrugated material to minimize volume affect and enhances customer convenience.

Submitted by: OSRAM Sylvania Inc.

Category: Medical Device

New Stylet Kit Package
New package is 80% smaller than previous design while reducing package waste by 54%. The new design also eliminated PVC from the package. The new downsized package utilizes a clip-less dispenser and DVD case.  Symbols labeling reduced final product configuration from 237 to 42.

Submitted by Medtronic

Safe Sedation Medical Cart/ Ethicon Endo-Surgery
This packaging was designed to ship the Sedation medical cart to customers around the world, with the customer's experience unpacking the cart in mind.  The product can be shipped completely assembled and although it was almost 80 pounds, can be unpacked by one person.

Submitted by: Ethicon Endo-Surgery and Anchor Bay Packaging

Anspach Bone Dissection Clamshell
Plastic Ingenuity, in conjunction with Anspach, has developed an Innovative plastic clamshell to protect Anspach’s bone Dissection Medical tool.

Submitted by: Plastic Ingenuity

GIBCO Bottle by Life Technologies
The GIBCO bottle is an entirely new cell culture media container designed to improve efficiency of storage and ease of use for the scientists who use these sterile products in their laboratories.

Submitted by: GIBCO Cell Culture Systems, a division of Life Technologies

Category: Regulated Packaging

Ex 812 Mod 0 Airborne Mine Neutralizer Destructor Container
The Ex 812 Mod O Airborne Mine Neutralizer Destructor Container is an aluminum extruded sidewall design that meets the packaging, handling, stowage and transportation needs of the Ex 64 Expendable Destructor and the Ex 65 Exercise Neutralizer, both integral components of the AN/ASQ-235 Airborne Mine Neutralization System (AMNS).  The container includes a shield to provide compliance with Insensitive Munitions requirements.

Submitted by: NSWC

Category: Industrial/Commercial

2.5 Liter OptiFill®
OptiFill® system is the first of its kind maintenance-free, disposable chemical dispenser used for manual ware washing.  The intuitive design, which integrates bottle and dispenser, was created for simple use with precise control over dilution rates, while maintaining structural integrity in an abusive work environment.

Submitted by: JohnsonDiversey, Inc

Double Down
Package includes a patented dual dispensing closure with directional feature on top of two interlocking bottles. Package was designed with large area for marketing. Sustainability improvements include using less materials and improved ease-of-use by the customer.

Submitted by: TricorBraun

Category: Promotional

Werther's® Original® Caramel Chocolate Trial Pouch
Smallest known stand-up pouch at 3-3/8" W x 1" D x 4" H is used to promote retail point-of-sale sampling of chocolate candies. Suitable for single pouch, bulk counter, and gravity feed displays.

Submitted by: Packaging Science Center

GUM Soft-picks Professional Sampler
Challenged with growing demand for dental hygienists to promote alternative inter-dental cleaning and constrained capacity, this package redesign resulted in a weight reduction of 40%, complete conversion out of petroleum-based base materials, and an 84% volumetric reduction per package. Package significantly improved positioning and branding and annual savings in excess of $500K/yr.

Submitted by: Sunstar Americas, Inc.