Italian companies play a key role in te 11th Pro Carton ECMA Award edition dedicated to the packaging world

ITALIAN COMPANIES PLAY A KEY ROLE IN THE 11th PRO CARTON ECMA AWARD EDITION DEDICATED TO THE PACKAGING WORLD

This year Pro Carton Ecma, the annual competition dedicated to European boxmakers, registered 122 entries coming from 11 European countries, among which Italy boasted 3 winners against 13 designs presented

Cartografica Pusterla was awarded the prize in the category “Beverage” for their sparkling wine bottle case Veuve Cliquot, that was regarded by the Jury as a “smart” package, since it can be easily opened from the top and can even contain ice.
Box Marche was awarded the prize in the category “Confectionery” for their Cocoa Book Collection, a book-shaped chocolate box. Thanks to its high quality printing and finishing, this creation represents a sophisticated package for an excellent product.
Finally, Lucaprint Spa was awarded the prize in the category “Shelf Ready and Display Packaging” for their Last Minute Display. According to the Jury, this display for ladies’ underwear has won for its bright colours, but also for its functionality and eye-catching look, that shows it up on the sales-point shelf.
“We are quite satisfied with the results achieved by Italy in this Pro Carton Ecma Award Edition”, said Piero Capodieci, President of Pro Carton Italia. “Our country has always distinguished itself worldwide in the field of designing and creativeness. As a matter of fact, the Italian winners were awarded the prize for being able to combine aesthetics and functionality in the designs presented”.
The competing categories were the same as last year’s, but some of them were particularly focussed on environmental problems. Consequently, the Jury thought it right to establish an additional prize in order to award this new design trend.
The winner in the new category “Sustainability” was Edelmann Group in Germany for their sugar carton, made at Baienfurt plant on Stora Enso’s pasteboard. This carton consists of a single board, which replaces the three box pieces made of plastics and paper, previously used. Employing a single material, capable of considerably accelerating and simplifying the product packaging, was considered a winning idea by the Jury.
Once again, many designs presented new ideas, innovative suggestions, interesting print finishing solutions and functional improvements, that impressed the Jury, since they reflected the current trend to use packaging as carrier of advertising. The winner in the category “Most Innovative Creations” used a new printing technique to attract the consumer. Thanks to the adoption of special inks and holography, the printed area on the cardboard generates a swaying and moving effect. The Jury found that, in such a competitive sector like cosmetics, this was a perfect example of the possibility to use cardboard to attract the consumer. Another interesting detail is that this carton has been produced by Edelmann Group by using the pasteboard supplied by Mead Westvaco.
The winner in the category “The Carton of the Year” impressed the Jury for its excellent structural design and the technique employed. This confectionery pack presented a surprise on the opening. After sliding both ends back, to show the chocolates, you can easily bend the two edges to form a pack being put on the table as a display. This carton has been developed in Germany by Aug, Heinrigs Druck & Verpackung GmbH & Co KG, that used the pasteboard produced by Stora Enso. No doubt, this creation has shown that cardboard packaging has considerable structural potentials.
All the entries will be showcased, along with the winners, in the stand of Pro Carton at Interpack, that will take place in Germany from 24th and 30th April, as well as at Drupa from 29th May to 11th June 2008.

Please find below a list of the winners in the various categories:

BEVERAGE
Veuve Cliquot Tricky Box produced y Cartografica Pusterla in Italy with pasteboard supplied by Iggesund Paperboard

Beauty AND COSMETICS
Estuche “Velius” developed by Alzamora Packaging in Spain with pasteboard produced by Grupo Cordenons

CONFECTIONERY
Cocoa Book Collection by August Faller KG, Germany. Produced with Stora Enso’s pasteboard

PHARMACEUTICAL PRODUCTS
Pocketpack developed by August Faller KG in Germany with Stora Enso’s pasteboard

SHELF READY AND DISPLAY PACKAGING
Last Minute Display developed by Lucaprint Spa in Italy with a combination of pasteboards manufactured by Reno de Medici and M-real

ALL OTHER FOOD
Coco Pop Creations made by Mayr Meinhof Packaging Austria with pasteboard supplied by Mayr Meinhof Karton and Iggesund Paperboard

ALL OTHER PRODUCTS EXCLUDING FOOD
Flexi Lederbag developed by Hammer GmbH in Germany with Stora Enso’s pasteboard.