Paperboard Progress

A new paperboard container, dubbed The Big Easy, combines the strength of paperboard with the barrier properties of a canister. Developed by Paper Machinery Corp., the new container can be manufactured in round or nonround shapes with sidewalls that are tapered or straight.

Canister heights can range up to 12 inches and capacity can reach up to one gallon. The canister can be topped with a composite, paperboard or plastic closure. The hinged plastic lid and membrane offers consumers easy-opening, convenient pouring and secure, positive reclosing for maintaining product freshness. The plug design of the plastic lid adds hoop strength, while the flush edge optimizes distribution.

Paper Machinery Corp.

Transparent Standup Pouch

Retortable, standup pouches offer weight savings, are easy and safe to open, and their transparency delivers a visual impact on the supermarket shelf.

The transparent film combination for sterilizable applications provides oxygen barrier properties of 1 cm3/m2/d/bar, irrespective of the atmospheric humidity level. It consists of PET as a printing substrate, OPA film with a vacuum-deposited layer of silicon oxide as the barrier layer, and PP as the sealing agent. Since the pouch contains no metallic components, it can be microwaved. The film structure also allows the use of metal detectors on the packaging line. Huhtamaki Van Leer

Ovenable Packaging

Stora Enso and Huhtamaki Van Leer are working jointly on new ovenable packaging for ready-cooked meals and frozen foods. For example, packages can be developed with three separate compartments--one for the first course, a second for the main course and the third section for dessert.

The color scheme, design and printing techniques for ovenable trays can be customized. Colors that go with particular food products and oval or round shapes are ways in which companies can influence the consumer's choice. Digital printing makes it possible to design special packages, for example, for particular areas or towns.

PET-coated Ensoven board tray from Stora Enso is an alternative to plastic and aluminum trays. Four-color pictures can be printed directly onto the board, which eliminates the need for separate labels.

Stora Enso N. America Corp.

Striking Sleeve Labels

Reverse-printed by rotogravure in eight colors, including a metallic silver, heat-shrinkable sleeve labels enhance single-serve and quart size milk bottles from Shamrock Farms Dairy.

Supplied by Seal-It, the label completely covers the container, which is reminiscent of silver milk pails. The 360° image area features a nutrition facts panel, bar code, ingredient statement, a tag line of "Farm Fresh" and a graphically designed "mmm milk". A large splash of milk in a complementary color to the flavor makes a mouth-watering attraction on the metallic silver background.

Seal-It Inc.