For its 12-pack bottle configurations, Rochester, NY-based High Falls Brewing is using the Duralift™ beverage carrier (see: packworld.com/go/c073) designed by MeadWestvaco’s Smyrna, GA, plant. According to PPC, the carrier is designed to run on High Falls’ existing machinery and packaging lines. By using a 21-pt board rather than a 27-pt structure, more carriers fit into a case and onto a pallet, reducing shipping and warehousing costs. The Duralift carton (above and below left) also offers a unique handle for consumer convenience. The coated natural kraft (CNK) board is said to be effective on web- and sheet-fed presses. These attributes helped MeadWestvaco earn the competition’s President’s Award, the top honor.
The Structural/Technical Innovation Award focuses on structure alone, so entrants cannot display printing or graphics. This year’s award was given to a package made by Thoro Packaging of Corona, CA. The package (below) holds a LiteAir Pop-Up, a medical device sold by Tucson, AZ-based Thayer Medical. Used in conjunction with prescription inhalers, the LiteAire Pop-Up fits into a shirt pocket and meets FDA regulations. It is free of loose paper particles that can be inhaled. The Pop-Up is glued in a single pass and all folds are pre-broken for easy “pop-up” formation. The pack includes internal valves that assist patients in self-administering the inhaler drugs.
The competition included 200 entries in 30 separate categories, with 75 total awards given. For a look at the gold award winners, see packworld.com/ go/w065. —JB
