Today the term “packaging” has become synonymous with brand distinctiveness, value, and communication. Due to rise in the product range and the demand for high quality, the companies are focusing more on this division. With the improvisation in the printing technology, the packaging is used as a tool to lure the desired audience by the companies. Just as an individual is judged by how he presents himself to showcase his overall personality similarly, a brand identity is reviewed by the packaging of its product.
Packaging plays an important role starting from the beginning till its final destination ensuring safe delivery of the product and facilitates the consumer buying decision by providing useful information like its price, instructions, manufacturing/expiring date, graphics etc.
As globalization continues to lead consumer companies to build capabilities all around, to win over new market segments, many packaging companies are prepared to participate in it. The call for sustainable packaging solutions is gaining momentum and creating both an opportunity for those companies that are innovative and a concern for those that are not. Meanwhile, customers, suppliers, and an extremely competitive marketplace are creating demand in the industry from all sides.
Paper and packaging companies need to increase speed & address costs, lead innovation in order to take advantage of technology, and get ahead of emerging issues in a rapidly consolidating & globalizing industry. It is therefore more critical than ever that paper and packaging companies have to be robust if they hope to thrive in the most demanding business environment they have ever faced.
This feature is conducted to showcase the special packages developed through innovative applications by the packaging companies in order to serve the masses of all the classes to stay ahead in the race. For this we visited the 3 leading packaging companies for a brief interaction.
International Print-O-Pac is known for carrying a dynamic way of executing the work by enhancing the product with their innovative craftsmanship. In a warm interaction with Mr. Rishabh Singhvi, Executive Director, International Print-O-Pac Ltd., he enlightened our knowledge by elucidating about the “Process of Packaging.”
Process of packaging
Phase I. Shape/Structure/ Style-: It is known to be the toughest stage as in this phase the idea has to be converted into different styles, shapes and Design.
Phase II. Shelf Stability Trial -: It is a simulated trial. It is undertaken to see the suitability of the packaging for the product, if the glucose powder, a hydroscopic product has to be packed, you need to have a liner in the packaging with the barrier properties to avoid forming of lumps.
Phase III. Transit Trial-: A dummy of the pack is prepared (1000 units) approx, which then sent to the plant to pack the product into it. Then, the product so packed is transported to place i.e. 1000 to 1500 km away from the plant to check whether the packaging survives or not. It is done to check the result of the long distances and handling of the logistics.
Phase IV. Printing Appeal-: It’s a printing techniques based on the shelf appeal of the pack.
Products with Innovative Packaging / Applications
Baby Food Pack: The package was converted from Glass to Paper Board based packaging.
• FBB Board was used to have enhanced whiteness.
• Silver foil stamping is used to get the metal finish.
• Glass bottle cost starts from Rs.12, while Paper board pack costs from Rs. 6 to 7
Benefit: Massive cost reduction, better visibility
Dispenser for Soup Sachets:
•Earlier: The pack was made with the board on all the 4 sides along with the provision to tear. If not torn properly it leads to instability of the box.
• Now: The box has been made with the use of pet sheet in the front for the better visibility and storage. Tearing is not required.
Benefit: Better visibility and retained stability of package.
SIM Card Holder:
• Perviously: The holder was made like an envelope.
• Now: The holder has been molded in the form of a photo frame to make it reusable as a photo frame for a long period.
Benefit: Long term branding for the company.
Medicine Pack: The pack was designed so as to make it easy to hang and a tear strip was also given at the bottom of the pack to make it easy for the person to extract the strip from the pack and can also check the number of strips left inside the pack.
Benefits:
• Display by hanging it anywhere in the shop
• Less space requirement
• Easy to use
• Branding in the front
Quran Box with Stand:
• Inserted an additional board for the strength and longevity
• A portion was cut from within the flap and the room was given to adjust the width of the book.
• The Additional board given is used as a stand to keep the book
• It was easy to use and handle while travelling
Tooth Paste Pack:
• Provided a strip in the middle of the pack
• Tearing the strip will enable to use the pack as a holder
• Space (die-cut) was provided to hang it on the nail.
Bulk pack for ready-to-eat noodles:
• Provided a hard board stand to strengthen the base of the pack. Base with a round stand to hold the cup.
• Provided a handle on the top making it easy to carry
• Open from both the sides for the purpose of branding
Kumar Printers can be rightly acknowledged as the apparent solution for all the packaging needs through its cutting edge technology and virtuosity that keeps them ahead. While interacting with Mr. Sandeep Bhargava, Executive Director, Kumar Printers Pvt. Ltd. he divulged upon the “Essence of Packaging”
“Packaging has to be absolutely functional as it is the primary requirement of the market. I think it’s time that we will see more and more of value added features in packaging. Presently, nobody is really conscious about innovative designs & structures. Once that trend starts coming in, people will have packs which are innovative and which will look great on the shelf and will also be user friendly. Even though it’s expensive but slowly people will start switching to that kind of packaging.”
“It will happen sooner or later once the retail boom starts kicking in the market where product will sell on its own and not by push or pull strategy. That is the time when real innovative packaging will make its mark. Competition is tough and you have to specialize in each and every aspect of packaging.”
Products with Innovative Packaging
OLDSMUGGLER PACK: The customer demanded a pack capable of holding 5 varieties of whisky (miniatures). So the pack was made in the plus shape (+) in order to make it viable for the customer to place all the 5 varieties.
Benefits: Display appeal • Less shelf space • Easy to carry.
GILLETTE
Requirement: Production & packaging of product to be done through comparatively less automated process as compared to International / US market. But the same design & structure was supposed to be retained.
Solution: The pack was made with such a structure & design that it looks like the US pack, but actually from inside it was different which supports the local semi-automatic/manual production & packaging system.
SUNDROP PACK WITH PEANUT BUTTER AS GIFT
Requirement: To provide free Peanut Butter with Sundrop oil with clear visibility along with easy handling of the pack.
Solution: The pack was made such that it can hold up the things in place and a space was provided on the upper left corner so the customer can easily lift the pack using the handle of bottle. A space was provided to insert the peanut butter bottle ensuring clear visibility. To protect the jar from lifting up from the shelf a sort of locking arrangement was provided.
WHYTEHALL SPECIAL WHISKY
Requirement: Company logo was supposed to be foil printed with black outlines. It was not possible to first print and then foil with high precision.
Solution: First the box was printed, and then foil printing was done followed by printing black outline with high precision and clarity.
Benefits: Big logo was printed with enhanced visibility ensuring strong branding.
“A package must protect what it sells and must sell what it protects” Mr. Praveen Aggarwal, Managing Director, Bharat Box Factory Ltd
Requirement: Packaging for various bulky electrical appliances which is strong & easy to carry for end consumer.
Solution: A corrugated mono-carton was made with in-built handle. The carton provided them the better look appeal and was made with a handle provision for easy handling without requiring any additional handle / carry bag.. The structure was made in such a manner that it can be transported easily as a regular carton after packing of products.
Benefit: Strong & easy to carry.
Commenting on essence of the packaging Mr. Parveen Aggarwal, Managing Director, Bharat Box Factory Ltd.
The importance of packaging is defined by the various purposes it serves like containment, protection and preservation, convenience, environmental aspects as well as reduction of pilferage. But, one of the most important aspects these days is that of the marketing trends and almost all kinds of industries are placing themselves in competition by increasing emphasis on the looks, sales appeal and quality of retail packaging. Packaging has rightly been defined in the quote ; “A package must protect what it sells and must sell what it protects”.
