COMMUNICATION

Advertising

Cartons, or cardboard boxes are part of the advertising mix for products as they are displayed at the point of sale – in the shop as well as on the internet. It is estimated that about 75% of purchasing decisions in store are made right in front of the shelf – so a carton boxes can help ensure that a product is seen and then purchased. In a survey with both consumers and experts, it was established that packaging was seen to be the most effective form of advertising to persuade consumers to buy a product again.

Brand recognition

Cartons, paper boxes, have a high quality image, offer strong shelf impact and are highly regarded by the consumer. Innovative shapes and interesting print finishes combine to offer instant attraction and ensure brand recognition is maximized. The graph below shows what percentage of respondents correctly recognized the brand at differing time periods. It can be clearly seen that the product packed in a paper box was recognized much faster by more people than the product packaged in plastic.

Consumer appeal

Cartons and cartonboard are well liked by consumers and in a study by the Karmasin Institute, it was found that cartons, rigid paper boxes have a reliable and safe image. In addition, a further study showed that elderly people, who now account for a much larger proportion of consumers, found printed paper boxes much easier to recognise, open and use than other forms of packaging. Cartons project quality and consumers then tend to relate this to the product so giving carton packed products a better chance of success.

Consumer favourite

Consumers like cartons. They trust them and find them easier to use than other forms of packaging. In addition they are easy to crush and recycle and folding cartons have an excellent record with facilities in place all over Europe to recover them and return them for recycling. And consumers regard cartons as eco-friendly: Market research carried out by Audience Selection showed that consumers consider paper cartons to be the most environmentally friendly packaging option. Studies have shown that consumers like the feel of paper boxes and value their environmental credentials.

The graphics of a folding carton can provide a co-ordinated link reinforcing other media promotion of the brand by the brand owner through newspapers, magazines and television. Packaging is almost as popular as television as a means to promote the brand and packaging is best for stimulating repeat purchases. Cartons are-well known and liked by consumers and elicit a warm emotional response.

Information

With an ever increasing amount of information on packaging, cartons are best placed to provide clear and easier to read information than other packaging. This particularly appeals to the over 60 age group who wish not to have anything special done for them but would like to be able to use conventional packaging. Carton boxes deliver on this. They also offer excellent brand visibility which is helpful to all shoppers and also to the brand owners and retailers.

SUSTAINABILITY

The cartonboard and carton industry have a great environmental story to tell. Cartons are made from a renewable resource, compostable and easily recyclable, with decreasing production emissions.

Renewable Resources

The original raw material used for carton manufacture is wood fibre from sustainably managed forests. Additionally, at the end of life, cartons are collected and recycled and form a secondary raw material. About 49% of cartons in Europe are made from virgin fibre and 51% from recycled fibre.

Sustainable Forest Management

Around 80% of the wood fibres used in the European paper and board industry come from European forests, mainly in Sweden and Finland. European forests used by the paper and board industry are sustainable since annual growth of new wood exceeds the amount harvest by a large margin. Each year, European forests increase in size by an area equivalent to more than twice the size of London, or to put it another way 1,500 football pitches per day! Forest owners and operators carefully manage forests and can prove this through certification schemes such as the Forest Stewardship Council FSC ® and the Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification PEFC.

The paper and board industry uses forest thinnings and only part of the mature tree: the small diameter tops of large trees and saw mill waste. No tropical rain forests are destroyed in order to make paper and board.

Recovery and Recycling

Folding cartons and corrugated boxes can easily be recycled by reprocessing in a mill, where the fibres are separated. The recovered fibre is then used to make cartonboard or another paper or board product. Alternatively, they can either be composted, a process also known as “organic recycling”, or if recycling is no longer a viable option, their energy content can be recovered in an energy-from-waste incinerator.

For recycling to happen, the packaging waste must be recovered, i.e. collected and sent to a mill. Cartons together with other paper products may be segregated in the home, or other point of disposal, and either collected or taken to a collecting location. Efficient recovery and recycling systems are in place in Europe which deliver excellent results: paper and board is the most recycled packaging material in the EU with a recycling rate of 85%, based on 2016 data from Eurostat.

Biogenic Carbon

Carbon dioxide is the most common greenhouse gas and a major contributor to climate change. Cartons’ raw material comes from sustainably managed trees which grow by absorbing carbon dioxide and storing carbon – this process is measured in terms of biogenic carbon. By removing carbon from the atmosphere trees help to reverse the greenhouse effect and this filtering process delivers a sustainable, renewable, bio-based raw material for cartons.

Carbon Footprint

The carbon footprint of cartons is the measurement of the effect of their production process on the environment. Pro Carton has measured the European cartonboard and carton industry’s production processes over several years and has recorded its improving environmental performance and a year on year decrease in its carbon footprint.

Energy Use

The European pulp, paper and board industry is a leader in sustainable energy use. 56% of all primary energy used in the industry is biomass based, with the wood by-products providing renewable energy in the form of electricity and steam for the manufacturing process. It is the largest producer and consumer of biomass based energy – 20% of the EU total – thus avoiding the use of non-renewable energy sources such as fossil-based oil, coal or gas.

Water Use

Water is an essential element for paper and board production and is usually taken by a mill from a nearby surface source such as a lake or river. 95% of the water used in the European industry is cleaned and reused on site. All waste water is purified at the mill in accordance with European regulations and standards, before being returned to the environment. Mills are working to reduce process water use as this makes good economic as well as environmental sense and the trend over the past two decades has been to reduce fresh water withdrawal by 20% in total volume.

©Mayr-Melnhof Karton GmbH.

SAFETY

Consumer Security

Security is becoming increasingly important throughout the supply chain. Paper boxes can be designed to incorporate a wide range of security systems, based on both covert and overt technologies. Designs can include tamper-evidence, child-resistance or other security benefits through tagging mechanisms, creative constructional design as well as print and ink system technologies. The variety of these systems also helps in reducing losses providing brand owners and retailers with greater levels of confidence. The increasing problem of counterfeiting can also be helped using the technology available to carton and cartonboard manufacturers and this offers consumers confidence in the products they buy.

Protection

Cartons, in particular, contribute a very small percentage of the price paid by the consumer at the point of purchase – less than 5 % for most products and for some products, such as medicines, less than 0.1 %. Would prices fall if there was no packaging? No – prices would rise! Without the benefits of modern packaging, supermarkets could not handle, store and display the range of products they now offer and the cost of transportation and storage together with handling at the point of sale would inevitably rise. The environmental impact of packaging as a result of its manufacture and use, together with the implications of its ultimate disposal, must be balanced against the benefits it provided in preventing the waste of more expensive resources, especially of food.

Counterfeiting Security

Counterfeiting harms both a brand’s reputation and the consumer of counterfeited products. Folding cartons can offer overt (visible), covert (non-visible) and track-and-trace technology to help brands protect themselves. An example of visible protection is an embossed hologram on a varnish layer which can show overt security features alongside the decoration. Using a substrate with integral coloured identification can provide covert protection. The security features can also be embedded in the cartonboard and thus be very difficult to imitate by printing. Cartons can offer printed RFID systems for authentication and track- and-trace of product. The electronic element is produced with conductive inks and can be integrated with the carton structure.

Cartons – a safe packaging solution made from a sustainable material

Consumer health and safety is the top priority for the cartonboard and carton industries. Every care is taken to prevent the migration of unwanted substances such as mineral hydrocarbons from cartons into food. Despite the fact that no clear evidence has been presented to support the recent concern over the presence of mineral hydrocarbons, the industries have been finding solutions to address the issue.

From the perspective of the cartonboard substrate, depending on the overall packaging system and after thorough risk assessment, different solutions are possible, both on the basis of primary fibre cartonboard and of recycled grades with and without functional barriers.

Good Manufacturing Practice guidelines have been established for carton makers. A guidance document¹ provides practical advice to packaging box printers and converters covering the entire carton production process with the aim of preventing health hazards or unacceptable changes in food as a result of migrations.

Protection against Food Waste

Packaging, including cartons, is key to protecting the resources embedded in manufactured goods.  This is especially true in the food industry, where dealing with the issue of Food Waste and wasted resources, is becoming a priority.

Cartonboard packaging adds value to a product; increasing its overall resource efficiency through reducing food waste. By protecting food and reducing food waste, cartons contribute to more sustainable consumption and benefit society by making our modern, convenience-driven lifestyles possible.

In Europe, 62% of folding cartons produced are used to package food.

Cartonboard packaging: made from a sustainable, renewable resource

The original resource of the cartonboard industry is the natural, renewable forest. European forests used by the paper and board industry are sustainable. Every year new growth exceeds the wood harvested by an area equivalent to over 500,000 football pitches. The volume of European forests doubled from 1950 to 2000.

Paper and board packaging is easy to collect and recycle. In recycled cartonboard production, fibres can be recycled more than 25 times² , with an input of fresh fibres from virgin fibre products which provide a valuable raw material for recycled products. Production of packages with recycled content would not be possible without virgin fibres, and it is only with a simultaneous presence on the market of primary and secondary fibres that a viable fibre cycle that is both economic and ecological, can be maintained.

Cartonboard manufacturers aim for continuous improvement by using less wood and energy and so becoming more resource-efficient. Also, the development of lighter base weights means the use of less packaging overall and less waste.

©Mayr-Melnhof Karton GmbH.

¹ “European Guide to Good Manufacturing Practice for Cartonboard based Food Packaging“, European Carton Makers Association (ECMA)

²  Source TU Darmstadt

Abstract

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to study how packaging and packaging design can contribute to competitive advantage for marketing a consumer product.

Design/methodology/approach – Different influences from actors in the packaging design process are discussed in a conceptual model. A single case study based on five “corporate stories” about packaging development resulting in a new package are presented and analysed.

Findings – The present study demonstrates influences on the design process of a package from external and internal factors. The outcome of the design process is, to a great extent, dependent on the interaction between the main actors in this process. The study argues for the importance of the interaction with customers for planning and conducting the design. The result of such a process is a package that can trigger customers make a purchase and/or re-inforce the brand name for a re-purchase of the product.

Practical implications – The main implications for management are that packaging is a vital instrument in modern marketing activities for consumer goods, for example in the competitive food industry. The study highlights a few factors that trigger a customer to purchase a product by designing a suitable package for the product. Packaging design makes it possible to introduce new and better solutions for diverse marketing and logistic problems in a supply chain.

Originality/value – This paper fulfills an identified need for contributions to more research on packaging and marketing strategy.

Keywords Marketing strategy, Packaging, Product design, Competitive advantage, Food packaging

Paper type Case study

Introduction

Packaging and packaging design have become an important factor in marketing diverse “consumer goods” and have a key role in communicating product benefits to the customer. Product packaging is therefore also related to other variables in the marketing mix (Czinkota and Ronkainen, 2007). These are within the control of the company and are means of meeting changes within the business environment (Cateora and Ghauri, 2000). However, packaging design is subject to a complex set of influences from the business environment. Among the main influences, new technology, materials development, logistic requirements, environmental issues, consumer preferences and marketing aspects all play a key role for management decisions on marketing strategy (Packaging Federation, 2004a, b). The importance of the different variables varies among the actors through the supply chain, but is also linked with consumer concerns and product safety.

This paper therefore addresses the way packaging design can be used to meet new challenges within a supply chain. The paper describes and analyses factors driving packaging design and thereby derives suggestions for achieving competitive advantage within a rapidly changing and complex supply chain.

In order to reveal such complexity and focus on the role of packaging design, we have first had to discuss issues regarding different driving forces within the “packaging market” and second to develop a framework for analysing the interface between packaging and driving forces within the area studied. The analytical problems are inherent in the “packaging market” since the latter can vary with the packaging material. A change in packaging material at the retail level may be of minor importance, but have a great influence in terms of substitute products or new entries on the supply side of the packaging industry. A sudden change in attitudes among end consumers influenced by the media can therefore lead to a shift in the actual consumption between plastics and paper board materials and have strategic effects on the packaging industry.

In this paper we have concentrated on aspects relating to paper board materials. It is obvious that packaging design and packaging development are subject to dynamic influences originating from many sources and this creates threats but also opportunities for strategic management decisions. In pursuing the aim described above, this paper addresses the following research questions:

• RQ1. Which are the main actors in the packaging design process of a product package?
• RQ2. How can packaging design contribute to fulfilling internal and external influences of a product package?

The paper is structured as follows. In the first section of the study the relevant literature is reviewed and a theoretical framework for describing and understanding factors that affect different actors with respect to the packaging design process is presented. The following section takes up five “corporate stories” describing different aspects of product design. The paper then relates its empirical findings to previous research and suggests a model for the design process. In the final section the conclusions and managerial implications are discussed and suggestions for future research are highlighted

A theoretical framework

Packaging of consumer goods is an area where conditions are continuously changing as a result of internationalisation and influencing factors in the supply and demand side of the packaging industry. In this paper we argue that the key factors determining the success of packaging design can be found in the interface between external driving forces and the ability to assess and transform them into attractive packaging solutions. There is little doubt that packaging design and developed packages is subject to dynamic influences from the surrounding business environment. These influences originate from changes in consumer values such as greater convenience and functionality, but also from environmental issues and food safety, for instance (Packaging Federation, 2004b). Other influences are coming from new requirements of the printing quality within the supply chain (retailing side). Even if packaging has become an important marketing tool for many consumer products in a competitive business environment, relatively few studies and little interest has been directed towards the theoretical work in the marketing literature. Some of the early research was done in the area of general characteristics and role of packaging design and as a variable influencing product evaluation (Banks, 1950; Schwartz, 1971). Other packaging-related research includes studies of the communicative role (Nancarrow et al., 1998; Underwood et al., 2001); ethical packaging matters (Bone and Corey, 2000); packaging as a profit (Wills, 1990); packaging design with respect to the use of material (Lee and Lye, 2003); advertisement and package coordination (Garreston and Burton, 2005) and packaging size and shape (Wansink, 1996; Raghubir and Greenleaf, 2006). Another research study exploring the packaging design management process within a food retailer was conducted by Vasquez in 2003. The multi-function of packaging has been investigated by Prendergast and Pitt (1996) and Rundh (2005). Despite these works, little is known about packaging design and its relation to marketing strategy.

Consumer influences

There are a number of demographic and lifestyle factors, documented by scholars and companies, that have resulted in various changes in consumer behaviour (Hogg, 2003). The consequences of demographic factors are an ageing population and an increasing number of people living in smaller households. These changes in household size and composition are mirrored in changes in consumer lifestyle. The number of people eating out has also grown to a considerable size in western society (Packaging Federation, 2004b). New services and take- away facilities are adding to changes in consumer behaviour. “Healthy eating” and sporting activities to take care of your own health are other phenomena in our society. Low cost air-fares and more holidays have also contributed to new consumption patterns. Credit is widely and easily available and consumers are not willing to save before the purchase even if it is a capital product. These changes in household size and lifestyle have important consequences for consumer behaviour, which also affect the packaging industry.

Environmental influences

The environment is an increasingly important issue for all areas in the business. A number of environmental problems have increased the interest of governments, official institutions and international companies around the world in coming up with ideas for solving these problems. Many countries have also introduced legislation or regulations governing the use of certain materials or the implementation of certain trade practices. The European Union (EU) in particular has recognised a need for imposing legislation on the industry to encourage companies to behave in a manner which is more compatible with environmental conservation. This has been declared in a revised packaging directive concerned with the minimisation of waste and the amount of packaging material that should be recycled (EU, 2006). The directive also promotes energy recovery, re-use and recycling of packaging. The packaging directive covers all packaging placed on the market within the EU as well as all packaging waste, whether disposed of at industrial or commercial sites or coming from private homes.

International influences

The consequences of internationalisation and globalisation are several (Young, 2001). One important topic is the fact that international trade has increased and products and services are in many senses becoming worldwide (Dimitratos et al., 2003). Some international products and their brands can be marketed in a standardised way, whereas most others need to be adapted to local requirements, which also affect the packaging (Cateora et al., 2000). Customers are also bringing back ideas and influences from other market areas requesting new products or setting up innovative businesses

Packaging design is a vital factor contributing to product differentiation especially when it comes to export among different market areas.

Logistic and distribution influences

Packaging has provided many new logistic solutions but has also been a key factor for adaptation for logistic reasons. Packaging and packaging design has obviously been a key driver for development of modern distribution systems of dairy products like Tetra Pak and for entrepreneurship within others, such as IKEA with its flat packages. Many packaging solutions have also been developed for pallet size, or for containerisation within the exporting sector.

Marketing influences (aspects)

Changes in consumer demands and requirements of products and services have put pressure on suppliers to come up with new solutions (Hogg, 2003). This has also been reinforced by strong competition in many product areas. Product and market managers in retailing have pushed for new designs and higher quality of printing giving their packages luxurious or prestigious appeal.

Technology influences

New technology and technological development in coating and laminating has contributed to the enlargement of new materials, but also to the combination of materials with better properties. This has been one important factor in the development of many new packaging products. Another obvious driving force has been development and improvements within printing and printing technology. An important contribution to development work in packaging and packaging design has also been made by suppliers of packaging equipment of different kinds. Furthermore development work within the area of radio frequency identification (RFID) technology will create opportunities for many new packaging solutions within diverse distribution systems (So¨rensen, 2006; Widman, 2006). Wal Mart and other big retailers have decided to introduce the new technology, which in turn puts pressure on their suppliers to adopt the technology.

Packaging design (materials, shape, size, colour, texture, graphics)
Packaging design has become an important factor for marketing various products in consumer markets in the area of grocery products, spirits and perfumes. The actual package can be considered as a part of the product since the packaging can contribute to the product’s benefits and in some cases be vital for the use of the product. In some areas the package is the same as the product (George, 2005). For various products the shape of the package has been an essential factor for success in the marketplace, whereas size and colour are important ingredients in other product and market areas (Wansink, 1996; Raghubir and Greenleaf, 2006). Texture and graphics are also variables that can be modified and contribute to a successful package. Another phenomenon contributing to the development of innovations is special showrooms that suppliers of board, for instance, use to develop new packaging solutions in co-operation with their customers. One innovation is the use of web design where customers can see the suggested package on the computer presented, for example, on a shelf in the store or as a point-of-sale aid in the store. The design studio uses the same technology as in a video game. The proposal can also be sent as a file to the customer or be presented on a DVD for later use. The new technology was presented by SCA at the exhibition Scanpack 2006 in October 2006 in Gothenburg. In this paper packaging design includes all aspects of a package before it comes to the customer, including choice of material as well as printing on the surface of the material. The concJaneon from this perspective is that different actors will have an influence on the packaging material or the final package. This paper does not discuss the different steps as such since they are dependent on the particular material and the converting steps that are necessary to fulfil the packaging concept. The challenges that packaging and packaging design are facing in relation to different operations in a supply chain are summarised in Table I. At each stage packaging needs to satisfy diverse demands when products are moving in the supply chain from producer to end customer.

A conceptual model

The challenges that are facing a marketer of a consumer product are many due to influential factors in the actual market. The different actors and processes in the design process are captured in a conceptual model in Figure 1. The diverse external variables influencing the process have been described above, whereas the internal factors (depend on) can be described by the actual product and the processes that evolve as a result of the interaction between the actors in the business network. One such factor is the choice of packaging material.

Market-based packaging design The following section describes a case study about packaging design in a company that has used this instrument for developing the product concept for different end-uses of the paperboard product.

The main reason for selecting paperboard is that “paperboard packaging” is the largest segment of the packaging industry and has significant opportunities to improve its position in consumer goods packaging. In a research project on paperboard packaging led by the Paperboard Packaging Alliance (a joint initiative between the Paperboard Packaging Council and American Forest & Paper Association) focus group participants stated that they like and understand paperboard as a “comfort” packaging material. Other important conclusions from that research (George, 2005) reveals that:

• in consumers’ minds, the product and package are one and the same;
• the package helps create an overall product perception and promise;
• the package is the product until the product is consumed and the package is disposed of, reused, or recycled;
• older consumers view products in paperboard packaging as familiar and trusted. When executed well, paperboard packaging strikes consumers – younger and older – as contemporary; and
• the objective in packaging development should be to use paperboard to create winning marketplace product solutions rather than merely creating a great package.

Research design

Case study. The construct of this case study is designed with the purpose to analyse and conduct an in-depth study of packaging design in a supply chain. The case study method was chosen in order to assess and reveal the strength and edge of packaging design. The study focuses on narrating the process at AssiDoma¨n in relation to actors in the supply chain. Data for the case study were collected by analysing documents and reports, collecting media articles and internal video clips, internet documents and information, and previous personal observations at the plant. A main contribution for the case study has been “corporate stories” from the company. The use of “corporate stories” have been discussed among several scholars (Benjamin, 2006; Denning, 2006; Marzec, 2007; Yolles, 2007). Furthermore, we interviewed the marketing director, the communications manager, and sales people at a packaging exhibition. This has provided us with an extensive basis for developing this case. We also rely on experience and the literature in order to present the evidence in various ways using different interpretations and measurements as this case relates to packaging development rather than specific managerial problems. The single case study has five “corporate stories” about development of different packaging solutions. Each corporate story (narrative) was selected carefully so that it predicts different results for expected reasons (theoretical replication). The unit of analyses was the product:

In a single-case study, the challenge of presenting rich qualitative data is readily addressed by simply presenting a relative complete rendering of the story within the text. The story typically consists of narrative that is interspersed with quotations from key informants and other supporting evidence (Eisenhardt and Graebner, 2007, p. 29).

History of AssiDoma¨ n Fro¨ vi (Korsna¨ s Fro¨ vi after the merger). AssiDoma¨n is one of Scandinavia’s leading manufacturers of packaging board material, but the company was acquired by Korsna¨s AB (Sweden) in 2006. The company AssiDoma¨n which is the object for this case study has a history from iron manufacturing since 1558 and paper production from 1889. A new era started in 1981 when Europe’s biggest paper board machine (at that time) was set up. The newly formed group concentrates its production mainly on paper and paperboard products, which are highly processed and specialised, used in the packaging industry. The total capacity is in excess of a million tonnes of carton board and paper per year. The total turnover for the new group exceeds 750 million euros and 1,800 employees.

In order to conduct the research and answer the research questions, five “corporate stories” or narratives were selected for presentation in this case. The empirical context for the “corporate stories” that follow are narrated by Annica Alexandersson – communications manager:

1. Chokladfabriken (derived from AssiDoma¨n, 2006);
2. Coleur Carmel (derived from AssiDoma¨n, 2006);
3. Ballantine (derived from AssiDoma¨n, 2006);
4. Nestle´ (derived from AssiDoma¨n, 2006);
5. Jysk (derived from AssiDoma¨n, 2006).

Taken together, these empirical findings reveal how companies operate with packaging design in a competitive environment. The corporate stories reveal the actors that influence the process.

Corporate story 1. Chokladfabriken – sensual pleasure in a sober packaging

Chokladfabriken is a small company in Stockholm that produces hand-made chocolate for their customers. The company is owned by Mr Martin Isaksson a world-class confectioner and a member of the Swedish Chef team with several gold medals. Their chocolates are delicate and expensive perishables that taste heavenly. At Christmas time in 2005 Swedish television broadcast a design program in which a few design students were given a mission to develop a packaging design to promote Chokladfabriken’s products on behalf of the board supplier Fro¨vi. The aim was to develop a packaging design that would reinforce the company’s trademark and image regarding the chocolate. The creativity amongst the students resulted in a design solution where the carton board’s brown inside was used to convey a natural and genuine image. The package design aimed at boosting customer emotions by using additional flaps and tasting notes on the extra print surface with the intention of comparing chocolate-tasting with wine-tasting.

“The students did a great job in capturing our image in the graphic design”, says Martin Isaksson, owner of the company. “There is an obvious trend today, where more and more people long for pleasure. Though quality awareness is more widespread today, people are less sensitive to the price” says Martin Isaksson. “My fastidious circle of customers demands ecological chocolate ingredients and that is why our packaging interplays in symbiosis with the chocolate and our philosophy”.

Interpretation. The design process was driven by the intention of capturing the company’s image in the design by using the carton board’s brown inside to create a natural look. Customers are also becoming more conscious about their health and wellbeing and are asking for quality in different products such as chocolate.

Corporate story 2. Coleur Carmel – it’s about attitude

The French brand Couleur Carmel is growing rapidly and over the past two years it has increased both its turnover and profit four times per annum. Coleur Carmel is still a relatively small company with 40 employees delivering to 1,200 shops mainly in France, but also with export to Finland, Canada, South Korea and Australia. All production is carried out by sub-contractors and future growth is predicted to overseas markets with a target of 2,000 shops. It is a brand with a strong ethical identity – with respect for the environment and human relations – that is attracting an increasing number of consumers. Unlike many other brands the target group is not defined by age but by attitude.

“The packaging is part of the concept” says the co-founder and co-owner Mr David Reccole.“ We are ourselves and communicate a life-style that gives hope and responsibility for the future. The packaging is extremely important in our communication and we always use recyclable materials such as wood, metal and carton board. As far as possible we use unbleached carton board, coated with polypropylene in the products”. All outer packs are produced in carton board. “

The fibres speak their own language and move the target group that responds to this kind of communication” says David Reccole. When the company started, no outer pack was used, but the brown board packaging has become part of the concept and is also necessary for the declaration of ingredients, certificate and barcode. The converter Cartonnages BES with a long experience of packaging cosmetics and other luxury segments often with an ecological image has printed the package in two colours and a hot foil stamp in silver on the brown reverse.

“The whole cosmetic industry is founded on the dream of beauty and success. Over and above our commitment is an attitude that appeals to suppliers as well as customers, consumers and employees with the fundamental idea of harmony with nature and a win-win concept where everybody has something to gain” says David Reccole.

This means for the employees that the company is planning a nursery and also a commitment that for every Euro saved in a special account by the employee, the company adds the same amount. For the shops that buy the products it means a price that allows a generous margin and at the same time an offer to return unsold products without any time limit and the consumer can enjoy a high quality product at an average price. Packaging of make-up products such as a lipstick is often more expensive than the contents and the company is therefore developing a lipstick that can be complemented with refills. The products are extremely luxurious and at the same time very cost efficient in the long run, entirely in line with Couleur Carmel’s policy.

Interpretation. The design process has been driven by the fact that packaging is a part of the concept – It’s about attitude – communicating a life-style of responsibility and environmental concern. On the other hand, for some products like lipstick the package can be more expensive than the content in the package.

Corporate story 3. Packaging crucial for the brand

Whisky has been distilled in Scotland for many centuries and is an important export product for the region. Depending on whom you ask, evidence shows that the art of distilling could have originated with the Celts, Christian missionary monks or Highland farmers themselves. Regardless of its origin, few can argue that the art of distilling spirits was perfected in Scotland. One major global brand is Ballantine, which also is one of the best selling Scotch Whiskies in Europe. The Ballantine’s saga started in 1827, when a farmer’s son, George Ballantine, set up a small grocery store in Edinburgh. As the years went by, he involved his sons Archibald and George junior and opened an establishment in Glasgow where he concentrated on the wine and spirits trade. Ballantine’s Finest one of their brands is an example of how the packaging is targeted at different consumers with a very modern graphic design appealing to younger consumers, whilst the more traditional design targets middle-aged and older people. Ballantine’s Finest has become the tenth largest spirit brand in the world, whereas Ballantine’s 30 YO is the oldest in the product range and available only in very limited quantities, sold, duty free, with a sale price of $200-300. The packaging consists of a glue-laminated paper box and reflects a very rare and high quality product. “The packaging is designed to communicate the quality and value of our brands. We have brands in all categories and obviously for the premium brands a more luxurious carton is used. Global specification and the control of design elements such as colour, font and text ensure that these values are maintained throughout the world” says Duncan Bond, Packaging Improvement Manager. Damaged cartons on the shelf are seriously detrimental to the brand and after having some problems in the distribution chain with a previous board material they switched over to Fro¨vi board two years ago.

“We believe that we have improved retail performance of our cartons, thanks to the strength of the material” says Duncan Bond.

The converter, M Y Cartons Leeds, has made large investments in their premises to be able to take part in the business. They have developed jointly with the producer and each benefits the other. MY Cartons know their filling machines and the speed they run at and can therefore supply the distillery with the right construction of the packs. Marketing alcohol products is a balancing act since the best customer is a healthy customer.

Interpretation. The packaging has been designed to communicate the quality and value of the brands and the company is using different design elements to reach target groups. The company is also using diverse qualities of board for the same purpose.

Packaging has become crucial for marketing the brand with different packaging for diverse customers. The packaging material obviously also contributes to the improved performance in the retailing side of the business.

Corporate story 4

Nestle´ is the world’s largest food and beverage company with 250,000 employees and is active in most countries around the globe. In Nestle´’s product range chocolate production comes second in terms of volume after coffee. The Diosgyo¨r factory in Hungary only produces seasonal products for Christmas, Easter and St Valentine’s Day. The majority of the products are known as hollow figures such as Santa Claus, Easter bunnies and Easter eggs. Almost everything is packed by hand. What is unique in terms of the handling of these products is that the production for each season is carried out over a few intense months. After a certain storage period everything is delivered to stores at the same time and sold during a limited period of time, which also requires a correct estimate of the volumes. One such product is the Advent calendar containing the brand “Smarties”. The magic of Christmas is particularly exciting for children and Nestle´ understands the atmosphere and sell Advent calendars that return in different varieties year after year. The Advent calendar increases the expectations for the secrets of Christmas with each door that is opened and the piece of chocolate inside the calendar increases the experience. The target group for these hollow figures in chocolate is young consumers in Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Finland and Switzerland. Producers and brand owners manufacture packaging that produces the right harmony among young consumers and their parents alike, since parents are likely to spend more money than usual at this time of the year. “Nestle´ always aims to find the right balance between what sells products and what builds up customer satisfaction – the brand” says Lars Wallentin who has worked for 40 years as Nestle´’s chief designer. Even if packaging is constantly renewed and varies between different markets, a strong focus has been placed on recognition of the traditional brands. Packaging should be exciting and safe at the same time. The same goes for the quality of the chocolate in the calendars. “Nestle´ doesn’t compromise on quality when it comes to chocolate. It is extremely important to tend to the brands at the same time as costs need to be kept under wraps” says Petr Benda, Application Group Manager.

“It is a tricky balancing act, where a certain amount of savings can be made in the packaging. We had a quick look at a less expensive carton board, but don’t dare risk interruptions in production and distribution. There are no available time margins for that. Consistency is extremely important and we have never had any difficulties with Fro¨vi carton board, which we have used for several years. Good printability and run ability in production are a must. At the same time the carton board’s strength ensures that products arrive at the shops in good shape and that the Advent Calendar’s doors can be repeatedly opened and closed for a month without ripping” says Petr Benda. The board material is processed by a local converter Zalai Nyomda Zrt in Hungary.

Interpretation. Even if the packaging is constantly renewed and varies between markets, a strong focus has been placed on recognition of the traditional brands like, e.g., Smarties. The package should also communicate to the particular target group and the actual season like an Advent calendar. Production planning for seasonal products is another dilemma.

Corporate story 5

Lars Larsen is a Danish entrepreneur who opened his thousandth store in Europe during 2005. The first store was established in 1979 with the slogan “Et godt tilbud” – A Good Deal. The core products are in the area of bedding and bedroom furnishing. His motto is “Commercialism, Collegiality, and Esprit de Corps”. That golden rule has enabled a never-ending “good deal” in which the retailer offers appealing high-quality
products and service at a low price. The new package was introduced in Jysk stores for the Christmas season in 2004 and, based on the enthusiastic response of customers and employees alike the winning concept was brought back for Christmas in 2005. A gift package that is suggestive of the occasion and looks gorgeous under the tree stimulates sales and makes handling easier.

“Bedding sales go up in December and the majority of purchases are gifts that have to be wrapped before they are given. That is where this package comes in. It keeps traffic flowing in the store and the customer gets fast check-out and good service” says Senior Buyer Mikkel Simonsen who is responsible for the continual development of Jysk Nordic’s store concept.

The design was created by Pais Design Denmark and the criteria for the assignment of the design was few but stringent. The package had to be elegant, practical, preferably somewhat unusual and naturally economical with regard to production and handling. The outcome of the close collaborative process in which various constructs and materials were tested was the packaging solution using FRO¨ VI LIGHT. “When it came to choosing the material, we already knew that Fro¨vi is the only carton board that could meet the high standards for printing results, flexibility and strength” says Benedikte Pais, president of Pais Design. The company’s environmental awareness and the high proportion of raw materials from certified forests were especially important to Jysk in choosing the board material. Interpretation. During the Christmas season when consumers are inclined to spend more money on shopping even retailers in a traditional business area have been tempted to search for a gift package that was suggestive of the occasion and the contents. The criteria for the package were few but stringent; the package had to be elegant, practical and preferably somewhat unusual. At the same time it should meet high standards for printing results, flexibility and strength. The company’s environmental awareness was especially important to Jysk.

Summary of the corporate stories

Even if the corporate stories are different and describes diverse product concepts a pattern can be established that symbolises influences on the design process. The factors that influence all the actors in the process can be divided in to external and internal influences. These factors influence the design process categorised by materials used, shape and size of the package, colour, texture and graphics. The innovative process is another important ingredient symbolised by the packaging laboratory or showrooms for supporting the interaction between the supplier of the material, designers and customer requirements on the package. All the corporate stories show that the design process and final package is influenced by several actors, e.g.

Retailer-Jysk Nordic Division; Designer-Pais Design Denmark; Converter-Jens Johansen Aps Denmark and Carton Board Supplier Assi Doma¨n Fro¨vi Sweden.

When the packaging solution is intended for a food product, the design process is often a struggle between different actors in the business network, such as the supplier of the base material, the converter, the filler of the content in the package and the retailer. Furthermore structural changes have increased the power of the retailing side. The goal for the supplier of the base material is often to be a full-service supplier of packaging solutions. This requires the supplier to develop innovative products and total solutions in the packaging field. An important issue here is the continued development of design expertise in partnership with customers. Design expertise is a key component when working in close partnership with customers. One successful example of this is how companies develop attractive point-of-sale packaging for in-store promotions. Shelf-ready packaging creates added value for customers by reducing costs when the goods do not need to be repacked for the shelf.

Discussion

The present study demonstrates the influences of external and internal factors on the design process of a package. These influences form and differentiate the design of one particular package from another. The design of a package also contributes to the communication of value, for instance of a particular whisky brand, or a perfume to the end customer. Furthermore, the product stories show that the package not only protects the product, but even does so it in a better way and therefore contributes to increasing retail performance. The design moreover contributes to performance in the communication between retailer and consumer, helping the consumer to find a product more easily in the supermarket. The outcome of the design process is to a large extent dependent on the interaction between the main actors in this process: the supplier of the material, the converter and the designer who influences the package for the filler of the package. The present study argues for the importance of the interaction with customers in planning and conducting the design of the package. The supplier of the base material can be an important driving force in this process, as he knows the possibilities of the material and can thereby contribute to better packaging solutions. Apart from material and shape, another important factor in the design of a package is the visual image conveyed by the pack including, e.g. a logo, the print font and any illustrations used on the package. Packaging is normally the last marketing communication a company can use before the purchase decision is made, which highlights its important place in the communication mix of a company. Graphics are becoming a vital tool in modern marketing activities. The main effects of graphics on consumer perception can involve the use of a suitable colour and thereby reinforce the brand name or image of the product, e.g. special packs for whisky. An eye-catching graphic will make the product stand out on the shelf and attract the consumer’s attention. Some packages can become so attractive that consumers use them as containers for other purposes. This adds to the aesthetic quality of the product concept. Pictures on the package in the form of attractive situations (mountains, beaches, luxury homes) can contribute to trigger lifestyle aspirations. Christmas packs of children’s sweets or special packs of whisky brands etc. add value to the product, which is worth more to the consumer without adding significantly to the cost of production of the special package. A further effect of graphics can be in the form of colour and printed lines on the package and incorporated cues and symbols. Holograms and combinations of different materials, e.g. lamination with aluminium foil or printing can encourage people to touch the package and thereby be inspired to try the actual product. The ultimate test is visibility, when customers find that the package stands out on the shelf in the supermarket and is stimulated to purchase a product. The package needs also to encompass a print and a texture so the requirements of appropriate information are fulfilled (Figure 2).

The combined creativity of shape and colour together with balanced graphics constitutes the package and should evoke the emotional appeal that is necessary to persuade the customer to buy the product. However, the main issue is whether the package functions well in relation to logistic and marketing factors and can be produced in a cost effective way. The “workability” of a package is the key to market success. This may be expressed through its ability to protect the product, function in a logistically and environmental friendly way, be storable by the retailer and easy to use and produce. In many situations can these factors be trade-offs due to cost of production, or difficulties to store or transport in the supply chain. The package can also be difficult to use as intended by the end customer.

ConcJaneon and managerial implications

The current study suggests that the packaging design process is influenced by several actors and that the supplier of board material can play a more active role in this process by involving customers in the process. Previous studies suggest a growing role for product packaging as a brand communication vehicle for consumer products (Underwood et al., 2001). These include growing management recognition of the capacity of packaging to create differentiation for homogeneous consumer products (Underwood et al., 2001). Product packaging also plays many other basic roles in protecting products in relation to containment, transportation, storage and information display (Lee and Lye, 2003). As with all point-of-purchase communication vehicles, the primary role of product packaging on the shelf is to generate attention by breaking through the competitive clutter in the store or at the supermarket (Underwood et al., 2001). One important development in the relation between customers and suppliers of board material is “design studios” or technical laboratories where suppliers, converters, designers and fillers can meet and develop new packages. Another kind of technical development combines computer technology with the material used; printing and design is an innovative computer program using technology from video games with the purpose of showing the package. The program enables the supplier of board material to propose a new packaging solution with the actual brand on the shelf in an “experimental shop”. The actual proposal can be shown on the computer or sent to the customer on a DVD for later use. This is an important step in building a deeper customer relationship by actually demonstration and allows interaction with the customer. From a managerial point-of-view this makes it possible to introduce new and better solutions for diverse marketing and logistic problems with a package. The importance of the communicative role of product packaging in the sales outlet has been underscored in the corporate stories in the case study and is also supported by previous research by Underwood et al. (2001). This study also emphasises and underscores the importance of different internal and external influences that participating actors have to consider in the design process. Future research in this field should include packaging’s role in marketing strategy, e.g. the influence on sales of a particular product. Another research direction could be to investigate the role of graphics on sales.

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Corresponding author
Bo Rundh can be contacted at: bo.rundh@kau.se

Abstract

This study summarizes the reducing principle of design of corrugated box used in the goods packaging. Then it makes a term-by-term analysis on the selection of raw materials for paper boxes, the optimization of prism types, and the overall design of paper box, with special emphasis on the method to realize moderate packaging of goods.

Keywords: Corrugated box; Reduce; Moderate packaging

1. Introduction

Corrugated box is a container [1] most extensively applied in goods packaging and transporting. It is made from paper, and machine-shaped from corrugated box board with hollow structure.

Since 1903 when corrugated box was first accepted by legal freight classification organizations as the containers for freight transportation, the application history of corrugated box has been over more than 100 years. Because of its light weight, low cost, ease of assembly and disassembly, good sealing performance, certain cushioning and anti-vibration ability and easy recovery and waste treatment, corrugated box is widely applied in various fields.

China started to introduce and use corrugated box as the external packing box from early 1930s. At that time, 80% of the external packing boxes in use were wooden boxes, with cartons accounting for only about 20%. By the end of 1940 and the beginning of 1950s, the percentage of boxes in use increased to 80%. With the development of packaging materials and machine industries, 90% packing boxes in use nowadays are corrugated boxes [2]. The Yangtze River Delta represented by Zhejiang, Jiangsu and Shanghai is the region which has witnessed the most rapid development of corrugated box industry in China over the past few years.

According to the statistics of Paper Committee of Shanghai Packaging Technology Association, the sales volume of corrugated box industry in Shanghai in 1990 was 1 billion RMB. By 2002, it had increased to 6 billion RMB, and to 13 billion RMB in 2007, with an average annual increase of about 30% [3]. Apparently, China’s production capacity of corrugated box is soaring dramatically.

However, with the constant rise of resource and manufacture costs, many corrugated box manufacturers at home and abroad are considering increasing the income while decreasing expenditure, especially the reduction of packaging expenditure. This is not only a response to domestic and international financial crises, but also an indication of the shift in priority from cutting down the cost of the product itself to the cost of the external packaging when taking into account of products cost. It is indeed progressive.

The question is how to set the standards of over-packaging. According to the experiences of developed countries, the upper limit of volume ratio of the packaging space is controlled to be 20%; while that of the ratio of packaging fee is controlled to be 15%. The exceding part is the wasted part. The radical solution to the high packaging cost lies in the advocacy of moderate (rational) packaging.

Moderate packaging refers to this kind of packaging which is moderate and appropriate to the extent that it can completely carry the goods contained in it with proper appearance properties. And the packaging cost exceeding the upper limit is over-packaging.

The reducing principle discussed in this paper purports to reduce the over- packaging. For example, an over-packaging occurs when five boxes are used instead of three boxes which are necessary; or when the box with the volume of 1.5 cubic meters is used instead of that with the volume of 1 cubic meter, resulting in a waste of space; or when low-strength corrugated box board is sufficient to withstand the load, high-strength corrugated box board is chosen instead. All the above phenomena are widespread in many manufacturing and operational enterprises.

The concept of moderate packaging of goods has long been popular overseas. A bill was proposed in Connecticut, US, in 1990, compelling the implementation of “moderate packaging” in accordance with the reducing principle. Germany government proscribes over-packaging in relevant regulations, and requires the use of environmental- friendly materials. Moderate packaging is also strongly advocated in Japan, to save raw and auxiliary materials and to decrease packaging wastes.

In contrast, China lags far behind in the advocacy and implementation of moderate packaging. Besides the reason of consumption and design concepts, another more important reason is the low modernization level of commercial circulation. The large number of manual work links in logistics and the frequent presence of “barbaric” transportation, loading and unloading seriously affect the promotion and implementation of moderate packaging.

With the standardization and improvement of administrative mechanism of goods transportation and logistics, along with the sharp increase in raw material costs, large enterprises and manufacturers are forced to take a serious attitude towards moderate packaging.

Moderate packaging of commodities requires the reasonable, appropriate and precise packaging, which means that corrugated box should be designed in accordance with reducing principle. To be specific, the content of reducing principle in the design of corrugated box comprises optimal combination of raw materials, optimal selection of prism type, optimization of overall design of box, and the cost control of packaging.

2. Optimal combination of raw materials

2.1. The principle of “light weight”

Weight lightening of corrugated box can be realized through the selection and application of base paper, which is an important measure to achieve moderate packaging. This principle demands the selection of base paper characterized by low gram weight, high strength and weight lightening, which is mainly applied in the packaging of some large electrical household appliances and equipments. By considerably reducing the overall weight of the freight, it makes the handling and transportation more convenient. “Light-weight base paper” advocated currently has significantly lower gram weight of unit area of base paper than that of normal base paper, while its strength is comparable to that of normal base paper.

Therefore, this type of “light-weight base paper” will inevitably become the superior choice in the future.

In 1950s, due to the backward development of China’s paper making, the gram weight of box averaged between 320g to 360g, and the base paper used for the manufacture of export boxes and domestic sale boxes was of poor quality [4].

There are several opinions concerning the selection of “light-weight” base paper. According to one opinion, the ration of base paper should be as low as possible; while according to another opinion, there should be explicit requirements on the selection of “light-weight base paper”, and at least one of the following three requirements, namely, processed by special techniques, manufactured by independent equipments, with gram weight of less than 150g, should be satisfied.

There is a more widespread opinion: the ration of base paper should range between 100-180g/m2; indicators, such as ring pressure and breaking length should comply with certain standards [5].And, as to the aspects of base paper application in domestic, part of the electrical household appliances industry has adopted 3 layers of corrugated cardboard to replace 5 layer of corrugated cardboard previously used. For the outer and inner layer of corrugated cardboard, high-strength light-weight base paper is adopted, while for the middle layer, the high-strength corrugated cardboard. In this way, the consumption quantity of boxes was reduced tremendously, but with equal strength.

2.2. High-strength corrugated honeycomb composite board

High-strength corrugated honeycomb composite board in divided into two types, namely, laminated board of corrugated cardboard and honeycomb board, and composite board of corrugated honeycomb board [6].

The laminated board of corrugated cardboard and honeycomb board is manufactured by arranging several pieces of continuous corrugated core papers cut into certain width in a parallel and vertical manner. Then waveform dislocation sticking is performed to form a structure similar to honeycomb (not a perfect hexagon), which is then glued to outer tissue and inner tissue. The corrugated core paper layer and flat paper layer are parallel to each other and glued together, with the prism perpendicular to the outer layer.

For the corrugated honeycomb composite board glued together of more than two layers, the arrangement orientations of adjacent corrugated cardboard layers can be deviated from each other with a certain included angle [7].

Since the corrugated core is “half-hardened”, this type of high-strength corrugated cardboard has superior stiffness than honeycomb board, but its transverse stiffness is slightly lower than honeycomb. The board manufactured by this method is firm in overall structure, with high strength along various directions and balanced performance. Its load bearing capacity, pressure resistance, anti-rupture strength and cushioning performance have been significantly improved. Therefore, it proves to be an excellent substitute material for wood. The compressive strength as principle technical performance indictor of this high-strength corrugated composite box is as follows: when the pressure is 10560N, residual deformation 17.6mm [8]. When this high strength corrugated composite box replaces wooden box, not only its appearance and printing has been improved, but more importantly, it satisfies the environmental protection requirement, at a remarkably reduced cost.

2.3. Intensified sandwich corrugated cardboard

Intensified sandwich corrugate paper is called “corrugated cardboards of corrugation”. Generally, two, three or five layers of corrugated cardboard are used as outer paper and inner paper (board), between which corrugated cardboard or corrugated paper-tube specially arranged is sandwiched to form wave-type sandwich layer [9]. Reasonable structural design endows the intensified sandwich corrugated board with high strength. It is measured through testing that the total thickness of the board is 3.2cm (adjustable at will); corrugation density of sandwich layer is 38-40 prism/m; there are five layers of ordinary corrugated cardboard (C prism B prism) as outer layer(ration 780g/m2); three layers of ordinary corrugated cardboard(C Prism) as inner layers (ration 470g/m2); three layers of ordinary corrugated cardboard (B prisma) as sandwich layer(ration 680g/m2 ), with a total ration of 1900-2000g/m2[10].

“Corrugated cardboard of corrugation” is an application of the mechanical principle of multi-azimuth support. It is made of high strength corrugated cardboard, which is deformed and arranged by special technique to form optimal mechanical structure. It can be applied in the manufacture of the packing box of six facades, by forming strong tubular matrix. Its superiority is mainly manifested in its ability to prevent damages to the objects contained in the box, especially for the packaging of large-volume, heavier, fragile and pressure susceptibility items. Moreover, because of its compact structure, seamless, absence of nails, foldability and forming ability, the overall packaging cost can be reduced by about 30%, and its appearance and integrity are also improved. Therefore, this kind of structure is very applicable for the packaging and transportation of large electrical household appliances and electr-omechanical equipments.

2.4. Four-layer corrugated cardboard (also called double-arch composite corrugated cardboard)

Four-layer composite corrugated cardboard is also called double-core superimposed corrugated cardboard, double-arch corrugated cardboard or UPS resulting force corrugated cardboard. It is generally made by smearing the adhesive with special performance on two layers of corrugated base paper, so that adhesive can filter into the cardboard fibers. Thus, the softness of paper can be modified, and the two layers of corrugated base paper are combined together. The corrugation is rolled under heating conditions; then it is adhered to outer layer to form firm and stiff four layer corrugated cardboard. The structure of its corrugated core is the double arch “honeycomb” structure which is made by adhering double-layer core papers and then formed by corrugation roller. The two archs of four-layer corrugated cardboard adopts the shape of ordinary corrugation—U-shaped or V-shaped corrugation, which can be divided into 2A, 2B and 2C type [11].

The research, development and application of four-layer corrugated cardboard have been very widespread in Japan, Europe and America. Due to its late start in China, only a small number of corrugation cardboard manufactures have introduced the manufacture and processing technique of four- layer corrugated cardboard. However, its promotion and application have not been realized yet.

2.5. Network-structured corrugated cardboard

The inner layer of network-structured corrugated cardboard is made of corrugated paper. The adjacent corrugations are perpendicular to each other or at certain angle, and the lattice network is formed by adhering the prisms at the intersection points between corrugations. The layer number is determined according to specific need, and the network-structured corrugated cardboard and its products are obtained by covering it with cardboard.

In contrast, the corrugated cardboard and its products of conventional structure have good performance in bearing the load along the direction of prisms. However, its load bearing capacity along other directions is relatively poor. By modifying the original structure of corrugated cardboard, the good load bearing capacity along the prism direction is fully utilized. Its impact resistance and flexibility, as well as its overall load bearing capacity, i.e. anti-puncture capacity, impact resistance, ring pressure resistance, and edge crush strength, can be improved by increasing its thickness.

Since corrugated paper is used to replace the original sandwich paper, the weight is reduced while its thickness is increased. Therefore, anti-puncture capacity, pressure resistance, ring pressure resistance, edge crush strength and flexibility are improved. If applied to the design of five-layer corrugated cardboard, this method can save 296g of paper per square meter of cardboard, with a 13% reduction in cost. Moreover, the cost and freight charges are lowered, and labor intensity of transport workers is also lessened.

3. Prism type optimization

Prism type optimization refers to diversified design by designers based on their working experience and suitable engineering principles of the corrugation shape, with the purpose of strengthening its properties, such as pressure resistance and bursting strength. By this means, less consumption quantity of new corrugated cardboard will be needed to support the box, so that corrugation optimization is achieved on the same level. The tooth profile of corrugated box is divided into U type, V type and UV type. Its prism type can be divided into heavy type (D type, K type), ordinary type (A type, C type, B type, E type) and miniature type (F type, G type, N type, O type) [12].

Over the recent years, achievements have been made in the research of corrugation structure. More and more attention has been drawn to optimal selection of corrugation structure in the reducing principle in the design of corrugated packaging. The constant increase in the consumption of minute corrugated packaging is due to its lower cost with a reduction of nearly 20% compared with solid corrugated cardboard; compared with large prisma type packaging, such as B prisma, the corrugated height of minute corrugated packaging is relatively lower, with more prisms per unit area. Moreover, its prism type is denser, with firmer structure. Therefore, its advantages in bearing strength and cushioning capacity with respect to parallel pressure are more significant under the conditions of using identical base paper under equal pressure [13]. Therefore, more and more enterprises and manufacturers begin to choose minute corrugated box.

4. Optimization of overall design of corrugated box

Design optimization refers to the optimization made by designers according to the theory of meeting specific properties, so that different configuration complying with new standards will be obtained.

4.1. Forming process

The forming process of corrugated boxes has significant impact on the quality of corrugated box. Groove, slotting, printing, and gluing all need to be optimized in actual operation.

First, the strength of corrugated box is associated with the width and depth of press mark line of cardboard. Excessive width and depth of press mark will lead to the rupture of inner paper; while insufficient width and depth lead to the non-foldability of the corrugated box. Therefore, investigation has to be made into the groove process of corrugated cardboard, so as to determine the optimal operational parameters.

Second, the printing process is another factor affecting the load bearing strength of corrugated box. Research shows that with the increase of printing pressure, the contraction and deformation will occur to corrugated cardboard; its compressive strength declines until the crush of the corrugated box. It is thus necessary to adopt the smallest printing pressure possible while ensuring good printing appearance.

Third, the slotting and gluing process optimization also need exploration, since the compressive strength of corrugated box dramatically decreases with the deepening of the slotting; inadequate dosage of adhesive leads to the weak cohesion. As a result, adhesive failure is very likely to happen under pressure, leading to crushing and the decline of compressive strength. On the other hand, excessive dosage will bring about glue overflow, which affects the appearance of the products; or, it will result in cohesion between corrugated boxes, with a waste of production cost [14].

4.2. Optimization of size and proportion

To ensure moderate packaging, the arrangement number and arrangement orientation of the packaged commodities, as well as the internal and external size of the corrugated box can be optimized during the transportation [15][16]. In actual practice, various kinds of cushioning pads are placed inside the corrugated box to prevent the packaged commodity from being damaged. By this means, the volume of commodity after packaging is usually larger than that of the commodity itself, sometimes by 5-10 times. In this case, prodigious waste is incurred with a several-fold increase in consumption quantity of corrugated cardboard.

Therefore, much can be done in reducing the size of corrugated box in accordance with the reducing principle of corrugated box[17].

4.3. Palletized corrugated packaging

The use of pallets in logistics has already reached maturity, including wooden pallets, plastic pallets, and metal pallets. The application of pallets makes the handling, loading and unloading, stacking and classification much more convenient. Over the recent years, the emergence of paper pallet has facilitated the seamless linkage of logistics packaging and retail packaging. The use of corrugated pallets, by protecting the bottom and facades of the commodity, makes the packaged commodities easier to be stacked. The remaining part is wrapped by plastic thin films or other packing methods. By this means, the consumption quantity of corrugated cardboard can be reduced by 60% or more. With its visibility and air permeability, pallets are extensively applied in the integrated packaging of carbonated soft drinks, mineral water, beer and other kinds of soft drinks [17].

5. ConcJaneon

To sum up, the reduction measures discussed above are not applied solely, but in combination by enterprises. In this way, the reduction design of corrugated boxess is implemented, which provides the first step to achieve moderate packaging. Due to its characteristics of being cost-saving and environmental friendly, the reduction principle in packaging design deserves more thorough research in future commodity packaging. Moreover, it will definitely make its own contribution to the effective utilization of natural resources.

References

• [1] Sun Cheng etc. Paper Packaging Structure Design. Beijing: Light Industry Press;2006.

• [2] Gao Meifen, Wang Ninghong, Wu Guorong.History,Status and Development of corrugated box industry. Mechanical and electrical information , 2004; (05): 31-34.

• [3] Wang Zhixing, Chen Xirong. Status and Development of China corrugated box industry. Printing Technology, 2008; (24): 36-39.

• [4] Wang Zhixing. The development process of China’s packaging industry. Shanghai Packaging, 2009; (01): 62-64.

• [5] Ju Xiang. lightweight base paper enjoyed home appliance packing. Consumption Daily, 2005.

• [6] Dai Wu. The Discussion of structure character of Super corrugated honeycomb compound board. China Packaging Report, 2004.

• [7] Zhang Junling, Mao Zhongyan. The Application of honeycomb paperboard in packaging. Mechanical and electronic information, 2004;(17): 28-30.

• [8] Chen Xirong. Wood Packaging favorite——High-strength plastic core compound board. China Packaging Report, 2008.

• [9] “In the Tile the Tile” debuts the packing market. China Packaging Industry , 2008; (03): 18-18.

• [10] Technical analysis that corrugated board of Sandwich makes paper packaging. China Paper Net.

• [11] Zhao Rongli. Four Layer Compound Corrugated board Summary. Print China, 2006; (04): 69-70.

• [12] Wang Jianxin. Printing and Molding Of Corrugated box. Beijing; Chemical Industry Press, 2004. [13] Xi Long. The Theory and Practice Of Corrugated box moderate packing. China Packaging, 2005; (5): 40-44.

• [14] Fan Xiaoping, Zhang Qinfa, Luo Guanqun. Influence of Molding Process after the Manufacture of Corrugated Board on Quality of Corrugated Case. Packaging Engineering, 2007;28 (12) :98-103.

• [15] Guo Shudi. The Research on the Relationship Between Dimension Scale and Compression Strength for Corrugated Box.

• Logistics Sci-Tech ,2009;(06): 97-98.

• [16] Liao Min, Dai Yuehong. Structural Design of Corrugated Box and Its Optimization Methods. Packaging Engineering, 2006;27( 4): 153-156.

• [17] Wang Rui. Four ways to achieve reduction of corrugated packaging. Printing Technology, 2009; (10): 43-44.

Tea and coffee bags

These are made from very light-weight porous tissues. There are heat-sealed bags where the fibre structure (grammage ∼17 g/m²) contains a heat sealable fibre, such as PP. Bags may be flat, square, four side perimeter sealed, or they may be round or pyramidal in shape. Another design is folded and stapled giving a larger surface area for infusion and using a lighter weight tissue (∼12 g/m²). All these bags are closely associated with the machinery that forms, fills and seals the bags – both types may have strings and tags. It is possible to link such machines with enveloping machines that can comprise paper, or paper laminated or coated, with moisture and gas barrier properties. Tea and coffee bag packing machines can include, or be linked to, cartonning or bagging machines.

Paper bags and wrapping paper

The paper bag is the traditional type of packaging where the product is packed at the point of sale, typically, in stores and markets where fruit and vegetables are sold and in bakeries for fresh bread and cakes. Manual wrapping using precut sheets is also widely used, e.g. in butchers shops and for fish and chips. The paper-based carrier bag with handles of various types is used for assorted items in retail shopping, and for luxury items and gifts where paper-based decorative finishes are used.

Sachets/pouches/overwraps

These comprise paper-based flexible packaging, involving paper with plastics, frequently PE. Where additional barriers are required, aluminium foil or metallised PET is incorporated. This packaging requires a heat sealable layer on the inside of the packaging material. Cold seal coatings on the inside of the packaging material can be used for sealing where the product is heat sensitive.

These types of packaging are usually associated with form, fill seal machinery. Horizontal form/fill/seal machines are of two main types. There are those that form a pouch in a horizontal plane with the product filled vertically. These machines can form a base gusset (Fig. 8.11).

Vertical  form/fill/seal machines are used to pack free-flowing food materials and liq-   uids. Packs made in this way are either flat, or incorporate gussets and block (flat) bottoms (Fig. 8.12).

There is also the flow wrap type that is used to pack single solid items horizontally, such as confectionery bars or multiple products already collated in trays (paperboard) (Fig. 8.13).

There are machines that form bags around mandrels, sealing being made with adhesives, so that they have a rectangular cross section and a block bottom. (This type of machine can also wrap a carton around the paper on the same mandrel to form a lined carton.)

Roll wrap machines pack rows of items, e.g. biscuits and sugar confectionery. Individual confectionery units may be wrapped in waxed paper for moisture protection and to prevent them sticking together.

Overwrapping square or rectangularly shaped cartons, with paper coated with PE or wax with neatly folded heat sealed end flaps is also used, e.g. confectionery.

Multiwall paper sacks

Multiwall paper sacks are made from between two and six plies or layers of paper. The spec- ifications vary according to the needs of the product and the output required. The differences concern the design of opening through which the product is filled, the design of the opposite end, the closure and the style of the sides, which may be a single crease or gussetted for ease of stacking (Fig. 8.14).

The open mouth sack is closed either by sewing through a strip of creped paper folded over the edges of what was the opening, or with a metal tie. The other design of opening is the valve, a small paper tube, inserted in one corner of a pasted end, again there are several basic designs. The main type of paper used is natural brown kraft paper, which has good strength properties relating to tensile strength,% stretch, tensile energy absorption, burst strength, tear strength and where necessary, wet strength. Air permeability is important for the filling rate of powders in valved sacks and any sack filling of an aerated product. Water absorption can be important. Surface friction is relevant to pallet stacking and safety.

Where the product requires moisture protection, the moisture vapour transmission rate is important, and there are various ways of achieving a low rate from the use of specially inserted PE bag liners to the use of PE or wax-coated paper, PVdC and aluminium foil laminations.

The use of a bleached kraft outer ply can enhance appearance. Tougher paper in the form of extensible microcreped kraft and creped kraft is also used. Creping gives enhanced stretch properties in the MD of the paper.

Many different food products are packed in multiwall paper sacks. Examples include: sugar, dried milk, whey powder, coffee beans, flour, peanuts, potatoes and other fresh vegetable products. Traditionally, this form of packing was used for the shipment of product in bulk. Smaller multiwall sacks are now used for retail packs. They can incorporate a carrying handle and a window for product visibility, e.g. for potatoes, and also for dry pet food.

Folding paper boxes, folding cartons

Folding paper boxes and cartons are widely used in the retail packaging of food products. They are printed paperboard boxes that are supplied to the packaging machine either flat or folded flat. They are used to package a wide range of food products. These range from cereals, frozen and chilled foods, ice cream, chocolate and sugar confectionery, cakes and biscuits, coffee, tea, convenience food mixes (snack soups), dried food products (raisins) and food supplements in the health care market.

Products may be packed in direct contact with the inside of the paperboard, or they may have already been packed in another form of packaging, such as a can, bottle, sachet, bag, collapsible tube, plastic trays or pots.

The choice of paperboard used for folding paper boxes depends on the needs of the product in packing, distribution, storage and use, and on the surface and structural design. The basic choice is between solid bleached board (SBB), solid unbleached board (SUB), folding box board (FBB) and white lined chipboard (WLC).

The protective properties of the paperboard may have been enhanced by the laminations, dispersion coatings, plastic extrusion coatings and other treatments, already discussed, in order to meet specific product needs.

Folding cartons, or folding paper boxes meet many packaging needs and can be made in a wide variety of designs (Fig. 8.15). Most printed paper boxes are rectangular or square in cross section. The type of product to be packed, the method of filling and the way the cartons will be distributed, displayed and used will influence the dimensions and design in general. Rectangular shapes are easy to handle mechanically, especially when packed in large volumes at high speeds. The design may be for end loading, e.g. cereals, or top loading, e.g. tea bags.

Paperboard may be formed into trays either by heat sealing, locking tabs and slots or by gluing with hot melt adhesive depending on the application. PET-lined paperboard can be deep drawn to a depth of 25 mm, or 45–50 mm in two stages. This type of tray can be used for a ready meal for frozen or chilled distribution and reheating at up to 200^◦C in either a microwave or a radiant heat oven. It could have a peelable heat sealable printed paperboard or plastic lid and be packed in a paperboard sleeve or carton (Fig. 8.16).

The early developments in microwave foods provided convenience and rapid heating. It was not suitable for products where browning or a degree of crispness was expected. Developments in microwave food formulations, which improved their performance in the microwave oven, and the use of susceptors in the packs has widened the range of foods suitable for this application. Susceptors absorb microwave energy and heat food rapidly, mainly by contact, and induce crispness and localised browning. Susceptors usually comprise aluminium metallised plastic film, such as PET, laminated to paper or paperboard. Inconel, nickel/chromium, susceptors can be used to induce even higher temperatures. The use of susceptors in this way is an example of active packaging.

The printed paper boxes may be lined by the carton maker with a flat tube of a flexible barrier material that is inserted during folding carton manufacture. The flexible material is usually heat sealable – examples include paper/aluminium foil/PE and laminations of plastic films. The lined paper boxes are supplied folded flat to the packing/filling machine. One end of the liner is heat sealed and after filling, the other end is sealed and the carton flaps closed. This type of carton is used for ground coffee, dry foods and liquids. A lined carton may be fitted with a plastic hinged lid incorporating a tamper evident diaphragm.

In another type of lined boxes, flat carton blanks and a roll of the material to be used as the liner, frequently bleached kraft paper, are supplied to the packing machine. Firstly, the paper is formed around a solid mandrel. The side seam and base is either heat-sealed or glued with adhesive, depending on the specification. The carton is then wrapped around the liner with the side seam and base sealed with adhesive. The product is filled and both liner and carton sealed/closed. This type of pack is suitable for the vertical filling of powders, granules and products, such as loose filled tea. Folding carton boxes can have windows or plastic panels for product display, e.g. spirits.

Paper printed boxes may have separate lids and bases, flanged or hinged lids. A display outer is a carton that performs two functions. At the packing stage it is used as a transit pack or outer. When  it arrives at the point of sale the specially designed lid flaps are opened and folded down inside the carton and the transit pack becomes  a display pack  or  display outer.  This form  of pack is frequently used to pack a number of smaller items that are sold separately, e.g. confectionery products also known as countlines. On other designs of folding carton, lid panels, or flaps, may close as a tuck-in-flap, flip top, locked, glued or be heat sealed. Closures may  be made tamper evident. Lid flaps that are repeatedly opened and closed during the life of the contents require folding endurance strength to withstand repeated opening and reclosure. In addition, cartons can have internal display fitments or platforms, sleeves can be used for trays of chilled ready meals and multipacks for drinks cans, bottles and plastic yoghurt pots. Cartons can incorporate dispensing devices, carrying handles and easy opening tear-strip features for convenience in handling and use. Packaging cartons can be made into non-rectangular, innovative shapes, such as packaging for Easter Eggs.

Folding paper boxes can be produced in creatively designed shapes and printed, varnished, laminated or otherwise finished for luxury food products, such as expensive spirits and chocolate confec- tionery.

Once a specific type of paperboard has been selected, it is necessary to choose a grammage and thickness that will ensure adequate carton box strength at each stage of the packing chain from packing through to use by the consumer.

Folding paper boxes are made as follows: firstly, the surface design is printed on paperboard sheets or reels; secondly, the outline profile of each carton is cut and creased. The flat carton blank that results may be supplied directly to the packer. Alternatively, the flat blank is glued, usually on the side seam and, sometimes, on the base, crashlock style, as well, and folded flat. Both approaches ensure the most efficient use of storage and transit space between the manufacturer and the packer.

There are other processes used in making carton boxes depending on the surface and structural design. These include varnishing, either in-line with printing or off-line in a separate operation, heat-seal coating for blister packaging, embossing, hot foil stamping, window patching and many more.

Liquid packaging cartons

The concept of a liquid food package based on paperboard became a reality when it became technically possible to combine paperboard with an additional moisture and product resistant heat sealable material. This led to the development of leak-proof liquid tight packaging (Fig. 8.17). The first successful package was the gable-topped Pure-Pak patented in 1915 where wax provided the heatsealable and protective barrier properties.

Several styles of liquid pack were subsequently developed. Most were filled through a full aperture top that was subsequently closed and sealed. The cross sections were square, rectangular or circular with the sides tapered. They were supplied to the packaging machine either as flat blanks for erection or as nested premade containers ready for filling. PE replaced wax from the 1950s and an additional development led to a reel fed form/fill/seal approach with the tetrahedral-shaped Tetrapak.

A range of shelf life times are possible depending on how the product is processed prior to filling, the filling conditions, and the conditions of distribution. Products could, for example, be pasteurised prior to filling, the product could be filled hot or the product could be UHT sterilised and filled into a sterilised pack, i.e. aseptically packed. An appropriate paperboard laminate would be selected to maintain quality for the period of the required shelf life.

For fresh products, e.g. milk, with a short shelf life in chilled distribution, i.e. 0 to 4^◦C, a two-side PE coated paperboard is used. For a long shelf life in ambient temperature distribution for hot-filled products and for fresh juices in chilled distribution, the barrier of the laminate   is extended by a thin layer of aluminium foil. In this case, the lamination would comprise PE/paperboard/PE/ aluminium foil/PE.

The aseptic packaging process whereby a sterile product is filled into sterile containers and sealed under sterile conditions has been described by the Institute of Food Technologists as ‘the most significant food science innovation of the last 50 years’.

This process has been successfully applied to paperboard liquid-packaging to extend shelf life at ambient temperatures. The pack requires the use of the PE/paperboard/PE/aluminium foil/PE laminate. Aluminium foil may be replaced by EVOH, an excellent oxygen barrier, and more easily handled in the domestic waste stream.

The overall result of these packaging, processing and distribution alternatives is that a wide range of liquid-food products are now available in paperboard-based packaging. Examples include milk and milk derived products, juices, soups, non-carbonated water and wine. Liq- uid products containing particulates are usually filled into open top cartons to eliminate the possibility of product interfering with the sealing of form/fill/seal packs.

A wide range of pack sizes is available from several suppliers. Pack sizes range from the single portion tetrahedral Tetra Classic packs with volumes from 20 to 65 mL, through the popular volume range of packs with square or rectangular cross sections of 0.2, 0.33, 0.5, 1.0, 1.5, and 2.0 L cartons. Several designs of single portion pack are available with straws attached and a 250 mL cylindrical container with an easy-open tab has been introduced by Walki. Even larger 4.0 and 5.0 L cartons are available in the Pure-Pak range.

Whilst pack shapes are dominated by the gable top and brick designs based on square and rect-angular cross sections, alternatives are available with shapes based on hexagons, tetrahedrons, wedges, pillow pouch and square cross sections with rounded corners. A major area of design innovation, as a result of consumer demand, in recent years has concerned ease of opening, re-closure and tamper evidence. Many convenience-in-use design features are now available from plastic straws for use with packs having an ease-of-pack-entry feature, plastic screw action clo- sures with a tamper evident feature, peelable foil based tabs and push-fit plastic reclosures, etc.

The production and marketing of liquids in carton boxes is one of the best examples of the integrated or systems approach to packaging whereby all aspects of the pack, filling and distribution are engineered by the manufacturer of the paper boxes working closely with the dairy, food processor or in-house own label retail organisation.

The paperboard used in liquid packaging is usually solid bleached, or unbleached board. This is used because it has an efficient performance in printing, cutting, creasing and folding, and particularly, as it is based on pure cellulose fibre, to protect the product from any packaging- related effect on the flavour and taste of the product. Milk and milk derived products, wine and juices are flavour sensitive products requiring careful handling and packaging.

Careful attention is given to printing and extrusion coating and laminating of the printed paper box to ensure that the materials and processes used do not have an effect on the flavour of the product. (The large gable-top carton design has also been extended to the packaging of free flowing dry foods, such as rice and freeze dried vegetables for the catering market.)

Rigid cartons or boxes

Rigid cartons, or rigid paper boxes as distinct from folding cartons, are erected before being delivered to the packer. The use of rigid cartons for food packaging is virtually confined to the luxury/gift market, such as for chocolate confectionery, preserves and the more expensive bottled wines and spirits.

Rigid boxes typically comprise a baseboard, the type and thickness of which is chosen to meet the customers needs and which is cut and scored. This is corner stayed, in which gummed paper is fixed around the made up corners of the box providing rigidity. The rigid box is covered with a decorative sheet of paper, or paper, film or aluminium foil based laminate, which is also cut to a precise profile to produce a neat finish. Adhesive secures the lining material, which may be printed, to the board.

A wide range of lining materials can be used to create specific visual effects, such as embossing, hot foil stamping and use of fabric materials. Many features can be incorporated in the design, such as hinges, handles, thumb holes, domes, windows, and plastic and paperboard fitments. Most of the operations are manual or machine assisted, and this together with the wide range of lining materials and design elements makes it possible for a wide range of distinctive rigid paper box designs to be constructed.

Paper-based tubes, tubs and composite containers

• Tubes

Small diameter paper-based tubes are used for confectionery; they may be designed with paperboard or plastic ends.

• Tubs

Typically, the ice cream tub must be leak-proof, resistant to the product and suitable for low tem- perature distribution. PE extrusion or wax-coated paperboard meets these needs. Additionally, small tubs are used to pack single portion cream and yoghurt based desserts. Cross sections are circular, elliptical or square with rounded corners. Sides may be straight or tapered.

• Composite containers

These containers are typically of circular cross section though designs with square and rect- angular cross sections with rounded corners can also be made (Fig. 8.18). They are used for both dry food products, such as tea, powdered or granular mixes and savoury snack products, and for liquids, e.g. non-carbonated drinks. The container bodies comprise paperboard and paperboard laminates with plastic and seamed-on metal ends with either lever lid, snap-on or seamed ring-pull lids.

Fibre drums

Fibre drums are used to transport food products and ingredients in dry, paste or liquid form. They are usually circular in cross section with parallel-sided walls that are made by winding paper, or thin paperboard, on mandrels. The winding may be either spiral or straight. The paper, or thin paperboard, is usually unbleached kraft (brown) and the layers are adhesive bonded to provide stacking and handling strength.

The drum ends and closures can be based on fibre, metal or plastic depending on the product and distribution needs. The closure method can be by tape, metal lugs or locking metal bands and, depending on the closure, the top rim of the drum may be metal reinforced.

PE inserts or a fully laminated plastic interior with caulked bottom seals may be incorpo- rated. Again, depending on the product, functional barrier materials can be incorporated in the construction as well as special product release coatings.

Drums can be made strong enough to allow four high stacking. They can be made suitable to provide moisture protection in outside storage. Tapered drums and drums with square cross sections incorporating rounded corners can be made. A wide range of drum capacities are available, depending on the product and the method of distribution from small drums up to as high a capacity as 280 L (75 US gal or 62 Imperial gals). Drums can be printed by silk screen, labelled or ink jet printed.

Corrugated fibreboard packaging

This is by far the largest paper and paperboard based sector in terms of the tonnage used. This type of packaging is synonymous with packaging for transportation and storage.

In the retail sector, boxes and trays made from corrugated fibreboard are used as secondary packaging. In the food packaging, they are used to pack multiple numbers, e.g. 6, 12, etc., of primary containers for storage and distribution. Corrugated fibreboard typically comprises three layers of paper-based material and this is known as single wall material (Fig. 8.19). There are two outer layers or liners separated by a corrugated inner ply known as fluting. The liner plies are glued to the tips of the fluting. The resulting material has high bending stiffness in relation to the weight, and high compression strength when made up in the shape of a box with glued or taped side seams and end panels. (Side seams and closures using metal staples are not normally permitted for food packaging applications.)

Double wall corrugated fibreboard comprising three liner and two fluting plies is produced but this degree of strength is not normally necessary for multiples of primary food packs.

Triple wall corrugated fibreboard is a thicker and, therefore, stronger material, and this is used with protective inner lining bags, usually made from PE film, for the bulk packaging of free flowing food products and ingredients.

The most common lining ply material is brown kraft liner. This may be unbleached virgin kraft liner, 100% recycled fibre, also known as test liner, or mixtures of both types of fibre, the colour is brown. Bleached, white, liner plies are possible with the use of bleached kraft, and mottled white/brown liners are based on mixtures of bleached and unbleached fibres. The weights range from 115 to 400 g/m², though the typical values for food packaging are 125, 150, and 175 g/m².

The fluting medium, also known as corrugating medium, may use any of several types of fibre, such as mechanical, chemical or recovered recycled fibre. Several grammages are available in the range (approximately) 90–220 g/m². If mechanical fibre is used, it is usually of the semi- chemical type, i.e. mechanical pulp subjected to partial chemical treatment that increases the yield compared with chemical pulp but with strength characteristics that are higher than that of mechanical or recycled pulp of the same weight (grammage). The paper is conditioned with heat and steam, and pressed between large rolls, with a gear wheel-shaped surface, to produce the corrugation (Fig. 8.20).

Several standard flute configurations are available varying in the pitch height and number of corrugations per unit length, characterised by letters A (coarse), B (fine), C (medium) and E (finer than B). B-flute has a high flat crush resistance and is used for packing cans and bottles where the contents themselves contribute to the stacking strength. C-flute is used where the contents do not support the case because C-flute has a higher compression strength at the same board weight. It is also used for glass bottles where its higher flute height may provide more cushioning and higher puncture resistance. In addition to box compression, cushioning, flat crush resistance and puncture resistance, other performance features that have to be taken into consideration are print quality, efficiency of cutting and the scoring and bending characteristics. Printing is carried out either after corrugating or, where higher print quality is required, before corrugating. The latter is referred to as pre-print.

It is sometimes more appropriate for the packer to purchase an unprinted standard-sized case and print, or label, on demand. This approach may be applied where seasonally cropped fresh fruit and vegetables are being canned, and it is difficult to estimate the eventual size  of the crop and, therefore, the number of printed cases required. If the estimate is above the eventual requirement, printed cases are left in stock until the next packing season occurs, and if underestimated there is a need for urgent deliveries of additional printed cases.

Box compression strength can be calculated from the weight of contents, stacking geometry, and atmospheric conditions of storage. The manufacturers of corrugated packaging have math- ematical models based on their standard materials, type of fluting, dimensions and weight of contents that can predict the compression strength of cases. Hence, it is possible to estimate the weight of material and type of fluting that should provide adequate compression strength after an appropriate safety factor has been taken into consideration.

The most common design of case used in the food industry is the RSC, regular slotted container. In this design, all the perimeter cutting, cutting of slots, which enable the flaps to fold neatly despite the thickness of the material, and the scoring or indenting to provide creasing and folding are carried out in straight lines in both MD and CD. Diecutting is necessary for special designs incorporating cutouts, curves and angles. Designs with these features are sometimes used in the food industry in conjunction with stretch or shrink wrapping to create more visual impact in cash-and-carry sales outlets.

Consumer unit package

Retail-ready secondary packs are now designed to suit their use in distribution and which are still easily and efficiently converted to a supermarket shelf display unit, which makes the product easily visible and accessible to the customer whilst also being easily disposable.

Other designs of transit pack using corrugated fibreboard are typically the wrap around case erected on the packing line and the tray type packs of which there are many versions (Fig. 8.21). Some are, subsequently, stretch or shrink wrapped and some are erected around the primary packs to provide stacking strength and partial visability of the primary packs without any overwrapping plastic film.

Retail Ready Packaging is a term that describes secondary packaging that is designed to incorporate features that assist handling in distribution, efficient merchandising on self-service shelves in supermarket, help customers to see and access the products on the shelves as well as being easily disposable. The E flute corrugated boxes, F flute corrugated boxes, corrugated box printed inside and outside are very common in the retail packaging boxes.

Moulded pulp containers

The most common food packaging applications for moulded-pulp containers are the egg packs and the trays used for apples and other fresh produce.

Moulded pulp containers are made directly from a suspension of fibre in water, using a mould in the form of a screen through which water is removed.

Usually recovered mixed fibres are grey in colour. If a lighter colour is required, bleached pulp, which can also be recovered fibre, of an appropriate grade is used. If other colours are required the pulp can be dyed.

There are two main processes of manufacture. The pressure injection process uses hot air under pressure to form the container that is further heated to remove excess moisture and sterilise the pack. In the other process, vacuum is applied to remove water from the mould. This process has a higher residual moisture content that has to be reduced by drying but the surface is smoother making for an improved printing result, where the packs are printed. Labelling is an alternative to printing.

Labels

Labels in the context of food packaging comprise the labels that are applied to:

• primary packaging in the form of cans, bottles, jars, pots, tubs, cartons, corrugated fibreboard cases, fibre drums and moulded pulp containers
• transit packs (secondary packaging), such as cases and stretch/shrink wrapped packs
• palletised loads (tertiary packaging)
• the food product directly (promotional labels), e.g. fruit

Labels for food packaging identify, promote, inform, offer advice on the use of the products concerned and, where, for instance, a label is applied over a closure, provide security as a tamper evident feature.

Labels are characterised by their substrate, adhesion and method of application. The substrate may be paper, paperboard and laminates thereof to aluminium foil and plastic films. There is a wide choice of paper-based substrate depending on the appearance and finish required. The paper may be uncoated, on-machine white mineral pigment coated in matte, satin or gloss finishes, or cast-coated off-machine with white or coloured mineral pigment coatings. Where laminates to aluminium foil are used they are often embossed.

Labels may use any of the conventional print processes, the choice being influenced by  the order quantity and finished appearance required. Digital printing is also used, as is ink jet printing, on the packing line. Varnishing is applied to provide protection, e.g. wet rub resistance, and gloss. Hot foil stamping is used to enhance appearance.

Dextrine adhesives are used with ungummed labels for the high-speed labelling of metal and glass containers. Processed food cans and beer in glass bottles may be labelled at speeds up to 80 000 per hour. This process is known as wet labelling. Hot melts are used with ungummed labels on plastic containers.

Ungummed labels are usually supplied stacked in small bundles already cut to the required dimensions and shape. Where labels are picked up, held or transferred by vacuum, it is essential that the substrate is not too porous to air.

Where the substrate is wetted as with dextrine adhesives, care in the choice of paper is necessary to ensure that an excessive amount of curl does not develop. When moisture is applied to paper it causes the fibres to swell more significantly in the CD and as more fibres tend to be oriented in the MD, the paper would tend to form a cylinder with its axis parallel to the MD – this type of curl is known as CD curl. It is necessary to use paper with a low MD/CD ratio, i.e. less MD orientation bias. As with all paper and board based packaging products, it is also important to ensure that flatness is maintained in printing, storage and end use at the packaging stage.

Some ungummed labels are applied to packaging without the use of adhesives, such as those tied on tags, and labels slipped on to the necks of bottles or otherwise clipped in place. These labels are often used with luxury food products, confectionery and drinks.

Labels supplied on reels with the adhesive already in place are referred to as being self-adhesive or pressure sensitive. As the adhesive is tacky, the label stock is combined with a backing or carrier web during manufacture. The backing web comprises either glassine or bleached kraft with a siliconised surface in contact with the adhesive. The label profile is cut on the backing web; this requires a very precise control of the cutting process, since whilst the label perimeter must be cleanly cut the backing web must remain undamaged. At the point of application the label leaves the backing web, and the skeletal waste label stock and the carrier web are reeled up.

In terms of packing line speeds, self adhesive labels can be used over a very wide range from semi-automatic manually assisted lines running up to 30 units per minute to automatic lines that can be designed to run at speeds from 60 to 600 per minute. Another advantage of these labels is that changing over from one label to another on the packing line is easy.

The adhesive coating on self adhesive labels must be chosen to meet functional needs, such as whether the label is to be permanent or removable, and whether there are extremes of temperature involved, e.g. frozen food storage.

Paper or paperboard in-mould labels are associated with plastic packs where the label is inserted into the tooling of an injection moulding, blow moulding or thermoforming. In-mould labels require a heat sealable coating on the reverse side, which is compatible with the plastic being used for the container so that the label fuses with the container during the forming process. There are several advantages possible with in-mould labelling. Firstly, a high quality printed image can be achieved more cost effectively than can be achieved by direct printing on round straight sided, tapered or otherwise-shaped containers. Secondly, where the product requires high barrier properties, labels based on laminates of paper or paperboard to aluminium foil can give the required protection. Thirdly, with some designs of in-mould labelled container the weight of plastic used can be reduced whilst maintaining product protection and container compression strength.

A printed thin paperboard label may be side seam glued so that it is tightly applied to a tapered plastic pot in such a way that after use the label and plastic components can be easily segregated for recycling (Sandherr K3 tub from Greiner Packaging).

Heat transfer labelling, e.g. by the Dennison Therimage process, is based on a paper carrier web with a wax coating on one side. The image is reverse printed on the wax coating, which is then coated with a heat sensitive adhesive. At the point of application to a plastic container the image is transferred from the paper carrier web by heat and pressure.

In recent years, there have been significant developments in smart, intelligent or chip-based labels that are being used for identification, traceability, track and trace and smart logistics applications. Many of these applications use RFID (radio frequency identification) technology. Data is stored on an RFID tag that carries data programmed into a small computer chip that operates at a wide range of frequencies activated from an RFID reader. The tag using a label can be applied to pallets, cases of unit packs and unit packs themselves. It is not always necessary to use a label. Pills have had an RFID edible tag applied. The data most frequently stored concerns supply chain information and control but it can also involve other smart uses, such as data concerning the use of a pharmaceutical product.

Sealing tapes

Sealing tapes are narrow width reels comprising a substrate and a sealing medium that can   be dispensed and used to close and seal corrugated fibreboard cases, fibre drums, rigid boxes and folding cartons. Sealing tapes are also used to make the side seam manufacturers join on corrugated fibreboard cases and tape the corners of rigid boxes, thereby erecting or making-up corner stayed boxes.

A traditional and commonly used substrate is hard-sized kraft paper, both unbleached (brown) and bleached (white). Where higher strength is required the kraft is reinforced with glass fibre, and up to four progressively stronger specifications are typically available from some suppliers.

Reel widths start at 24 mm, though 50 mm width tape would be a typical width to seal the flaps of an average sized corrugated fibreboard case.

In the case of gummed tape, adhesion is achieved by coating the kraft paper with a modified starch adhesive; animal glue has largely been superseded. The adhesive is then dried and the reels are slit to size. In subsequent use, the adhesive is automatically, and evenly, reactivated by water in a tape dispenser. Tape dispensers that can cut pre-set lengths for specific taping specifications are available.

The advantage of gummed paper tape is that it is permanent and provides evidence of tampering, it can be applied to a dusty pack surface without loss of adhesion, is not affected by extremes of heat and cold and does not deteriorate with time. Pressure sensitive tapes, on the other hand, are used on all types of packaging from paper and paperboard to metal, glass and plastic containers. Pressure sensitive adhesive can be applied to several types of substrate, including moisture resistant kraft paper that is coated on the other side with silicone to facilitate dispensing from the reel.

Heat fix tapes are based on kraft paper where the adhesive is applied as a thermoplastic emulsion that is subsequently reactivated by heat and applied to the sealing surface by pressure. Sealing tapes are used plain, preprinted or printed at the point of application.

Cushioning materials

Paper-based cushioning comprises:

• shredded paper used as a loose fill packing – this is a good use for clean recovered paper – not widely used in food packaging
• interlocking dividers used to separate, for example, bottles in a case
• corrugated fitments made up of one or several layers of corrugated fibreboard cut to special profiles to support, locate and protect vulnerable profiles of items. Not specifically used in food packaging but widely used in products associated with the cooking and storage of food
• moulded pulp applications (already mentioned under Section 8.8.11 above for eggs and apples)

Cap liners (wads) and diaphragms

There are a number of ways of ensuring a good seal when a lid is applied to a jar, bottle or similar rigid container:

• pulpboard disk: The simplest type of cap liner is a pulpboard disk made from mechanical pulp fitted inside a plastic cap. This cap liner or wad has to be compressible and inert with respect to the contents of the container. This liner could be faced with aluminium foil or PE where the nature of the contents require separation from direct contact with the pulpboard
• induction sealed disk: The disk comprises pulpboard/wax/alumium foil/heat seal coating or lacquer. The cap with the disk in place is applied to the container and secured. It then passes under an induction heating coil. This heats the aluminium foil, which causes the wax to melt and become absorbed in the pulpboard. It also activates the heat seal coating and seals the aluminium foil to the perimeter of the container. When the consumer removes the cap the adhesion between the pulpboard and the aluminium foil breaks leaving the foil attached to the container. This seal therefore provides product protection and tamper evidence. Where subsequent contact between the contents and the pulpboard is undesirable, the pulpboard is permanently bonded to the aluminium foil. (A simpler version dispenses with the wax and replaces the pulpboard with paper.)

SYSTEMS

There are many examples today of a total systems concept involving one packaging company acting in partnership with the food manufacturer in an integrated system from the point of packing and processing to the point of sale.

Paper and paperboard based packaging systems for food products implies consideration of:

• the functional needs of packaged preserved foods
• how these needs are met by paper- and paperboard-based materials and the packaging made from such materials
• packaging machinery
• integration of food processing with packaging, storage and distribution

One of the best examples of this type of packaging system is the aseptic packaging of milk and juice products in paperboard-based liquid packaging.

The term packaging system may also be used in a more limited way where a packaging material supplier, working in partnership with a product manufacturer, supplies packaging material, leases the packaging machinery and takes responsibility for technical support and maintenance of the machinery.

ENVIRONMENTAL PROFILE

Paperboard has a low environmental impact in that the main raw material, wood, is naturally sustainable (Fig. 8.22). Wood is derived from trees, and in order to grow naturally trees need:

• sun (energy)
• soil
• water
• air (carbon dioxide)

Wood is derived from forests. Forests are essential for the well-being of the world environment by:

• reversing the greenhouse effect (by absorbing carbon dioxide)
• stabilising climate and water levels
• preventing soil erosion
• storing solar energy

The commercial use of wood for paper and board needs is met by sustainable forest man- agement, which:

• ensures replenishment of trees
• provides habitats for animals, plants and insects
• promotes biodiversity
• protects watercourses
• preserves landscape
• maintains rural employment
• creates recreation facilities

Forest management today meets commercial, social and environmental needs, and forests can be independently audited and certificated for environmental performance. Certification was introduced by the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC), and other schemes were subsequently set up, such as the Program for the Endorsement of Forest Certification (PEFC), to meet specific regional forest needs (Cepi, 2008a).

There is understandable public concern at the loss of forests worldwide. It is however important to differentiate between sustainable commercial forestry undertaken by the paper industry and the clearing of forests in the less well developed parts of the world, mainly in  the southern hemisphere, where this is done to meet the needs of land hunger and where wood is the only source of fuel. The forest area in the northern hemisphere is increasing annually and the amount of wood cut is exceeded by the amount of new growth in existing trees. In the southern hemisphere there is an increase in the new plantation forest areas. Over 50% of wood cut annually worldwide is used for fuel and a large amount is used for construction.

The paper and board industry uses 10% of the wood harvested annually. It uses thinnings, the tops of large trees and saw mill waste, i.e. materials that otherwise would become waste (Fig. 8.23). Commercial forestry for the paper industry is leading to an increase in both the land area devoted to forestry and the volume of wood growing in those forests.

A major advantage of paper and paperboard is that it can be recycled as fibre and used to make new paper and paperboard materials (Fig. 8.24). As a result, 50% of the world’s fibres for paper making are provided by recovered paper and paperboard products. Pulp recovery from waste paper and board is an example of material recycling and between 40 and 60% of paper and board is recovered in Europe and North America. Commercial and industrial waste paper is relatively easy to collect and systems have been in place for 100 years or so where the driving force was based on commercial viability. In recent times, attention has been focussed on domestic or post-consumer waste. Systems are being developed to segregate and recover more paper and board from this source.

Packaging accounted for 41% of all paper and board consumption in Europe in 2008 (CEPI, 2008b). Many paper and paperboard packaging products are based on recovered paper and board. The infrastructure for recovery is based on merchants and a categorisation of the various types of waste paper and board. Prices of the various grades depend on the fibre quality and the market forces of supply and demand. A quality described as ‘clean white shavings arising from mills or printers trimmings’ is in quality terms almost as good as virgin pulp and is high priced. Mixed unsorted waste has the lowest price.

Pulp is a worldwide commodity and a mix of recycled and virgin pulp is necessary to meet the overall needs of the market in terms of quality and quantity. Paper consumption is rising in the Far East, especially in China, and much of this demand is being met with recovered fibre. However, 100% recovery and reuse is impossible. This is because some grades by nature of their use cannot be recovered and the fact that multiple recycling causes fibre quality and quantity to deteriorate. Hence, there is an ongoing need to provide new virgin fibre.

Energy is another major resource. Pulp made by the chemical separation of fibres, and paper and paperboard mills integrated with such pulping use biomass energy, i.e. the non-cellulose components of wood are used as fuel.

Pulp derived from wood by mechanical means and from recovered waste paper and paper- board does use fossil fuel but in the past 10 years significant increases in efficiency have been achieved by the use of combined heat and power plants. A number of mills with access to biofuels, such as wastes from forestry, have switched from the use of fossil fuels to biofuels thereby emphasising the sustainable nature of their energy use.

Other environmental aspects are:

• bleaching (pulp mill effluents were considered harmful): The problem was due to the use of chlorine gas (elemental chlorine). This process has been replaced and today the by-products are harmless
• use of water and subsequent contamination of water courses by paper and board mill effluent:

Such effluent was a cause of concern in the past because it reduced biological oxygen and hence affected marine life. This has been tackled by effluent treatment within mills so that water emissions are not harmful in this way

• overall water consumption: More water is now recycled within the mill. Some pulp mills today have no water emissions

• paper-based packaging is said to be a waste of resources: It is necessary today to be able to demonstrate that the amount of packaging used is not excessive and that it is commensurate with the protection needs of the product thereby preventing product wastage

• where paper and paperboard materials are not suitable for material recycling they can still be useful as a source of energy, i.e. incineration with energy recovery, or compost

Overall paper and board is a naturally renewable (sustainable) product that does not pollute the environment in the course of manufacture and use. It is recyclable as material, energy or compost and, if none of these processes is practical, it is biodegradable. The EU has funded a research project (SustainPack) concerning fibre-based sustainable packaging involving 35 partners from packaging research associations, universities and indus- try. This work examined many aspects of fibre-based packaging linked with other technologies, such as nanotechnology and the incorporation of tagging, such as that using chip-based ra- dio frequency identification (RFID). The work examined packaging users needs for freshness indication, article surveillance, printed electronics and many other features (SustainPack, 2008).

CARBON FOOTPRINT

The paper and paperboard industry is well placed to help in combating climate change resulting from an increase in greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. The total carbon dioxide emission, together with the carbon dioxide equivalents of other greenhouse gases associated with a product, process or service is known as its carbon footprint. This is calculated by studying the emissions at each stage in the life cycle of the product, process or service.

There are Life Cycle ISO Standards for Life Cycle studies. However, the setting of the boundaries for the life cycle studies is discretionary. Whilst a particular process may be examined to investigate possible improvements in emissions reduction, there is also a current trend for the carbon footprints of different products to be compared, and this requires conformity of approach for comparisons of the data to be meaningful.

In Europe CEPI (Confederation of the European Paper Industry) has developed a common framework that enables its members to calculate carbon footprints. The framework defines the various sources of carbon dioxide and carbon dioxide equivalents to be investigated, and they should be calculated. Companies and industry sectors are able to include other elements that address their needs whilst ensuring that the information is transparent and well presented to paper and paperboard users (CEPI, 2007).

The ten considerations, referred to as the ‘toes’ of the carbon footprint discussed in the CEPI Report are discussed below.

Carbon sequestration in forests

As we have seen trees grow by removing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. Trees grow in forests and fulfil a number of commercial, environmental and community needs.

The demand for wood in Europe has ensured that forest area is high and is increasing. The volume of new wood grown per year has exceeded the volume harvested by 27% in the period 1990–2004. The industry therefore stimulates carbon dioxide retention in the forests.

The biomass carbon in the wood harvested for paper and paperboard can be calculated. A lot of this energy is, depending on the pulping process, used during manufacture and the carbon returned to the atmosphere. The rest is bound in the product but ultimately at the end of life in either landfill or energy-from-waste it is also returned to atmosphere.

Quantitatively, therefore, bioenergy carbon has a low or even zero emissions effect for some products in the footprint calculation. It is, however, of considerable importance qualitatively for the stimulus it provides for environmentally sound forest management, for sustainability in wood availability, societal support for forest communities and to encourage the use of wood in

other areas where otherwise products of a higher carbon footprint, such as fossil fuels, alternative building materials and alternative packaging materials would have to be used.

Carbon stored in forest products

The extent of time during which carbon storage in paper and paperboard is retained is dependant on the product. Forest product wood used in buildings last for a very long time – also products used in legal documents, libraries, galleries and museums.

With packaging the lifespan is much less. Some 40% of paper and paperboard produced is used in packaging. In the main and, particularly with food and beverage packaging, the pack is disposed of after use when it is either recovered for recycling or disposed of in landfill or  in an energy-from-waste facility. When recycled the bioenergy in the fibre is retained, when used to produce energy it replaces the use of energy from another source, which may well be fossil-based. In landfill, the bioenergy emissions of methane occur, though there are installations that collect and use landfill methane for energy.

Greenhouse gas emissions from forest product manufacturing facilities

Manufacturing occurs in pulp mills, paper and paperboard mills and the facilities used to print and convert these products into packaging. The greenhouse gas emissions we are concerned with are those arising from the use of fossil fuels and not those from biofuel or as it is also called, biomass. Pulp mills and pulp mills operating alongside paper and paperboard mills where the cellulose fibres are separated chemically use little or no fossil fuel as most of the energy required is bioenergy derived from the non-cellulose components of the wood. Mills separating fibres by mechanical means use electricity though this may be made using biomass energy.

Greenhouse gas emissions associated with producing fibre

These emissions include those from harvesting wood and forest management and those from the collection, sorting and processing of recovered waste paper and paperboard.

Greenhouse gas emissions associated with producing other raw materials/fuels

These emissions are those concerned with the manufacture of chemicals and other additives in paper, paperboard and packaging manufacture and in the manufacture of the fuel that is used. They also include emissions involved with the electricity purchased for the manufacture of the chemicals and additives.

Greenhouse gas emissions associated with purchased electricity, steam and heat, and hot and cold water

These emissions are from purchased electricity, steam and heat used to manufacture paper, paperboard and packaging.

Transport-related greenhouse gas emissions

These emissions are from all the forms of transport used from taking wood to the pulp mill or chipping plant to the transport of waste at the end-of-life.

Emissions associated with product use

These are usually zero for forest products.

Emissions associated with product end-of-life

These are mainly those from anaerobic decomposition of forest products in landfill. They do not include biogenic energy emission released in an energy-from-waste plant.

Avoided emissions and offsets

This category is optional and its use in emission balance sheets is controversial since it involves the calculation of emissions that are avoided by the use of forest products. An example is when a mill exports electricity from biomass where if this did not occur the electricity would have had to be made by using fossil fuel. Another would be to calculate the emission avoided if mill bark waste is used on farmland where if it were not used a chemical fertilizer based on fossil fuel would have had to be used. It is, therefore, important that the assumptions and methods used to calculate avoided emissions are transparent and explainable to those interested.

REFERENCES

Ahlstrom (2009) Press release from Ahlstrom Dated 18 May 2009 Biodegradable Solution for Infusion Products (Tea and Coffee). Available from: http://www.ahlstrom.com.

CEPI (Confederation of European Paper Industries) (2007) Carbon Footprints for Paper and Board Products, September 2007, B-1050 Brussels. Available from: http://www.cepi.org.

CEPI (Confederation of European Paper Industries) (2008a) Issue Sheet ‘Certification of Sustainable Forest Management’, February. 2008, B-1050 Brussels. Available from: http://www.cepi.org.

CEPI (Confederation of European Paper Industries) (2008b) Key Statistics 2008 European Pulp and Paper Industry, B-1050 Brussels. Available from: http://www.cepi.org.

Hills, R.L. (1988) Papermaking in Britain 1488–1988. The Athlone Press, London, UK and Atlantic Highlands, New Jersey, USA. p. 49.

Packaging News (2008) Iggesund Launches Bioplastic Coated Invercote, December 2008. Available from: http://www.packagingnews.co.uk.

SustainPack (2008) Final Report on SustainPack Issued, 04 September 2008. Available from: http://www. sustainpack.com.

FURTHER READING

Emblem, A. and Emblem, H. (1996) Fundamentals of Packaging Technology by Walter Soroka, revised UK edn.

The Institute of Packaging, ISBN 0 9464 6700 5.

Paperboard Reference Manual. (1993) Iggesund Paperboard AB.

The Carton Packaging Fact File. Pro Carton UK.

Paine, F.A. (1990) The Packaging User’s Handbook, revised edn. Blackie and Son Ltd. under the authority of The Institute of Packaging, ISBN 0 216 92975 X.

WEBSITES

International Council of Forest and Paper Associations, www.icfpa.org. American Forest and Paper Association, www.afandpa.org.

Confederation of European Paper Industries, www.cepi.org. Paper Federation of Great Britain, www.paper.org.

Websites of the leading manufacturers of papers and paperboards.

Paper Packaging History

A wide range of paper and paperboard is used in packaging today – from lightweight infusible tissues for tea and coffee bags to heavy duty boards used in distribution. Paper and paperboard are found wherever products are produced, distributed, marketed and used, and account for about one-third of the total packaging market. Over 40% of all paper and paperboard consumption in Europe is used for packaging and over 50% of the paper and paperboard used for packaging is used by the food industry.

One of the earliest references to the use of paper for packaging food products is a patent taken out by Charles Hildeyerd on 16 February 1665 for ‘The way and art of making blew paper used by sugar-bakers and others’ (Hills, 1988).

The use of paper and paperboard for packaging purposes accelerated during the latter part of the nineteenth century to meet the needs of manufacturing industry. The manufacture of paper had progressed from a laborious manual operation, one sheet at a time, to continuous high speed production with wood pulp replacing rags as the main raw material. There were also developments in the techniques for printing and converting these materials into packaging containers.

Modern Paper Packaging

Today, examples of the use of paper and paperboard packaging for food can be found in many places, such as supermarkets, traditional markets and retail stores, mail order, fast food, dispensing machines, pharmacies, and in hospital, catering and leisure situations.

Uses can be found in packaging all the main categories of food, such as:

• Uses can be found in packaging all the main categories of food, such as:
• dry food products packaging – cereals, biscuits, bread and baked products, tea, coffee, sugar, flour, dry food mixes, etc
• frozen foods, chilled foods and ice cream packaging
• liquid foods and beverages – juice drinks, milk and milk derived products
• chocolate packaging and sugar confectionery
• fast foods
• fresh produce – fruit, vegetables, meat and fish

Packaging made from paper and paperboard is found at the point of sale (primary packs), in storage and for distribution (secondary packaging).

Fibers

Paper and paperboard are sheet materials made up from an interlaced network of cellulose fibers. These materials are printable and have physical properties that enable them to be made into flexible and rigid packaging by cutting, creasing, folding, forming, gluing, etc.

There are many different types of paper and paperboard. They vary in appearance, strength and many other properties depending on the type(s) and amount of fibre used and how the fibres are processed in paper and paperboard manufacture.

GSM

The amount of fiber is expressed by the weight per unit area (grams per square metre, g/m2, or lbs per 1000 sq ft), thickness (microns, mm or 0.001 mm, and thou (0.001 inch), also referred to as points) and appearance (color and surface finish).

Difference Between Paper and Paperboard

Paperboard is thicker than paper and has a higher weight per unit area. Paper over 200g/m2 is defined by ISO (International Organisation for Standardization) as paperboard or board. However, some products are known as paperboard even though they are manufactured in grammages less than 200g/m2.

Paper Packaging Categories

Papers and paperboard used for packaging range from thin tissues to thick boards. The main examples of paper- and paperboard-based packaging are:

• custom paper bags, wrapping, packaging papers and infusible tissues, e.g. tea and coffee bags, sachets, pouches, overwrapping paper, sugar and flour bags, carrier bags
• multiwall paper sacks
• folding cartons and rigid paper boxes
• corrugated boxes and solid fiberboard boxes (shipping cases)
• paper-based tubes, tubs and composite containers
• fiber drums
• liquid packaging
• molded pulp containers
• labels
• sealing tapes
• cushioning materials
• cap liners (sealing wads) and diaphragms (membranes)

Paper and paperboard packaging is used over a wide temperature range, from frozen food storage to the high temperatures of boiling water and heating in microwave and conventional radiant heat ovens.

Whilst it is approved for direct contact with many food products, packaging made solely from paper and paperboard is permeable to water, water vapour, aqueous solutions and emulsions, organic solvents, fatty substances (except grease resistant paper grades), gases, such as oxygen, carbon dioxide and nitrogen, aggressive chemicals and to volatile flavours and aromas. Whilst it can be sealed with several types of adhesive, it is not itself heat sealable.

Barrier Properties

Paper and paperboard, however, can acquire barrier properties and extended functional performance, such as heat sealability for leak-proof liquid packaging, through coating and lami-nation with plastics, such as polyethylene (PE), polypropylene (PP), polyethylene terephthalate (PET or PETE) and ethylene vinyl alcohol (EVOH), and with aluminium foil, wax, and other treatments.

Packaging made solely from paperboard can provide a wide range of barrier prop-erties by being overwrapped with a heat sealable film, such as polyvinylidene chloride (PVdC) coated-oriented polypropylene (OPP or BOPP) or a similarly coated regenerated cellulose film.

PAPER AND PAPERBOARD – FIBRE SOURCES AND FIBRE SEPARATION (PULPING)

Paper and paperboard are sheet materials comprising an interlaced network of cellulose fibres derived from wood. Cellulose fibres are capable of developing physico-chemical bonds at their points of contact within the fibre network, thus forming a sheet. The strength of the sheet depends on the origin and type of fibre, how the fibre has been processed, the weight per unit area, and thickness.

The type of fibre also influences the colour. Most paperboards have a multilayered construction that provides specific performance advantages and gives the manufacturer flexibility of choice, depending on the packaging end use, of the type of fibre used in the individual layers. Virgin, or primary, fibre is derived directly from wood by a process known as pulping. This can be done mechanically (Fig. 8.1) or with the help of chemicals that dissolve most of the non-cellulose components of the wood, which are subsequently used to provide energy (Fig. 8.2).

The terms sulphate and sulphite refer to the chemical processes used to separate the fibres from wood, sulphate being the more dominant process today. Mechanically separated fibre retains the colour of the wood though this can be made lighter by mild chemical treatment. Chemically separated fibre is brown but it can be bleached to remove all traces of non-cellulosic material. Pure cellulose fibres are translucent individually but appear white when bulked together (Fig. 8.2).

Fibre recovered (secondary fibre) from waste paper and board, which is not de-inked and bleached, is grey or brown. Fibre recovered from brown packaging will be brown in colour. When mixed printed waste recovered paper and board is processed the colour of the pulp is grey. Pulp can be dyed during processing to meet a specific colour specification. The process whereby recovered fibre is made into paper and paperboard is an example of material recycling (Fig. 8.3).

Fibres can withstand multiple recycling but the process of recycling reduces fibre length and inter-fibre bonding, features related to sheet strength properties. Furthermore, it must also be appreciated that some papers and boards cannot be recovered by nature of their use and, hence, there is a constant need for virgin fibre to maintain the amount and strength of fibres. In practice, the proportion of fibre that is recovered and recycled in various countries is between40 and 60%. Another important factor relevant to sheet properties is the species of tree from which the fibres are derived. In general terms, the industry uses long fibres for strength and short fibres for surface smoothness and efficient sheet forming in manufacture. Long fibres are derived from coniferous softwoods, such as Spruce, Pine and Douglas Fir, and have average lengths of 3–4.5 mm. Short fibres, such as those derived from Birch, have  average lengths of 1–1.5 mm.

PAPER AND PAPERBOARD MANUFACTURE

Stock preparation

If pulp is bought in bales, it is first dispersed in water in a hydrapulper. All pulp, including pulp that comes straight from the pulpmill without drying, is then treated in various ways to prepare it for use on the paper or paperboard machine. Inter-fibre bonding can be increased  by mechanical refining, in which the surface structure of the fibre is modified by swelling the fibre in water and increasing the surface area. The degree of refining, which also influences the drainage rate at the next stage in manufacture, is adjusted to suit the properties of the intended paper or paperboard product.

Additives, such as alum or synthetic resins, are used to increase the water repellancy of the fibres. Wet strength resins can be added to increase the strength of the product when saturated with water. Fluorescent whitening agents (FWAs), also known as optical brightening agents (OBAs), can be added at this stage to increase whiteness and brightness.

Sheet forming

The fibre in water suspension, roughly 2% fibre and 98% water, is formed in an even layer. This is achieved by depositing the suspension of fibre at a constant rate onto a moving plastic mesh, known as the wire (Fig. 8.4). On some machines, forming is carried out on a wire mesh covered cylinder. Forming results in a layer of entangled fibres from which water is then removed by drainage, which may be assisted by vacuum. Tissue, paper, and thin boards can be formed in one layer. Thicker and heavier higher grammage paperboards require several layers of pulp, either the same type, or different pulps, depending on the board type, being brought together successively in the wet state.

Forming on a wire mesh in this way has two important consequences.

Firstly, there is a slight difference in appearance between the wire side of the sheet and the other side (top side). This effect is eliminated if the sheet is subsequently coated with a white mineral (china clay) coating, or if a specific type of twin wire former is used where both outer sides of the sheet are in contact with identical wire mesh surfaces.

Secondly, the method of forming influences the orientation of the fibres in the sheet. Since fibres are long and thin, they tend to line up in the direction of motion on the machine. This is called the machine direction (MD). Strength properties, such as tensile and stiffness, are higher in the MD. One of the aims of successful forming is to randomise the orientation of fibres in the sheet. Nevertheless, the orientation occurs and it is normal to measure strength properties both in the MD and in the direction at right angles to the MD, known as the cross direction (CD). The fibres form an entangled network that is assisted by creating turbulence in the headbox immediately prior to forming and, on some paper machines, by shaking the wire from side to side.

Pressing

At the end of the forming section, or wet end of the machine, the sheet is sufficiently consolidated by the removal of water to support its own weight to transfer into the press section (Fig. 8.5). Here it is held between absorbent blankets and gently pressed using steel rolls so that with vacuum assistance more water is removed, reducing the moisture content to about 60–65%.

Drying

The moisture is reduced to less than 10%, depending on grade, by passing the sheet over steam heated cylinders. Some machines include in their drying section a very large heated cylinder with a polished steel surface. This is an MG (machine glazing) cylinder – also known as a Yankee cylinder. Paper can be produced with a glazed surface on one side and on some board machines the MG cylinder is used to produce a smooth surface, whilst preserving thickness, thereby giving higher stiffness for a given grammage. A starch solution is sometimes applied towards the end of the drying section to one or both sides of the sheet. This is known as surface sizing. It improves the strength and finish of the sheet and anchors the fibres firmly in the sheet. Squeezing the sheet through a series of steel/composition rolls can enhance smoothness and thickness uniformity. This is known as calendering. Paper may be calendered at high speed in a separate process, known as supercalendering.

Coating

White pigmented coatings are applied to one or both sides of many types of paper and board on- machine. The coatings comprise mineral pigments, such as china clay and calcium carbonate, and synthetic binders (adhesives), dispersed in water. Excess coating is usually applied, it is smoothed and the excess removed. A number of techniques may be used – metering bar, air knife or blade coating.

One, two or three layers of coating may be applied. Coatings are dried by radiant heat and by passing the sheet over steam heated drying cylinders. They may be burnished (polished) depending on the required appearance, colour, smoothness, gloss and printing properties. Coat- ings can be applied off-line. In the cast coating process, the smooth wet coating is cast against a highly polished chromium-plated heated cylinder. When dry, the coating separates from the metal surface leaving the coating with high smoothness and gloss.

Reel-up

Finally, the paper or board is reeled up prior to finishing.

Finishing

The large diameter, full machine width reels of paper and board are then slit into narrower reels of the same or smaller diameter or cut into sheets to meet customer and market needs. Sheets may be guillotined, pile turned, counted, ream wrapped, palletised, labelled and wrapped securely, usually with moisture resistant material, such as PE coated paper or PE film.

PACKAGING PAPERS AND PAPERBOARDS

A wide range of papers and paperboards are commercially available to meet market needs resulting from the choice of fibres available, bleached and unbleached, virgin and recycled, and because fibres can be modified at the stock preparation stage.

Paper and board-based products can be made in a wide range of grammages and thicknesses. The surface finish (appearance) can be varied mechanically. Additives introduced at the stock preparation stage provide special properties.

Coatings applied, smoothed and dried, to either one or both surfaces, offer a variety of appearance and performance features that are enhanced by subsequent printing and conversion, thereby resulting in various types of packaging.

To illustrate these features of paper and paperboard, some examples are described below.

Wet strength paper

Paper sacks used in wet conditions need to retain at least 30% of their dry strength when saturated with water. To achieve wet strength, urea formaldehyde and melamine formaldehyde are added to the stock. These chemicals cross-link during drying and are deposited on the surface of the cellulose fibres making them resistant to water absorption.

Microcreping

Microcreping, e.g. as achieved by the Clupak process, builds an almost invisible crimp into paper during drying enabling paper to stretch up to 7% in the MD compared to a more normal 2%. When used in paper sacks this feature improves the ability of the paper to withstand dynamic stresses, such as occur when sacks are dropped.

Greaseproof

The hydration (refining) of fibres at the stock preparation stage, already described, is taken much further than normal. It is carried out as a batch process and is known as beating. The fibres are treated (hydrated) so that they become almost gelatinous.

Glassine

This is a supercalendered (SC) greaseproof paper. The calendering produces a very dense sheet with a high (smooth and glossy) finish. It is non-porous, greaseproof, can be laminated to board and can be silicone coated to facilitate product release. Glassine is also available in several colours.

Vegetable parchment

Bleached chemical pulp is made into paper conventionally and then passed through a bath of sulphuric acid. Some of the surface cellulose is gelatinised on passing into water and redeposited between the surface fibres forming an impervious layer. This paper has high grease resistance and wet strength.

Tissues

Neutral pH grades with low chloride and sulphate residues are laminated to aluminium foil. The grammages range from 17 to 30 g/m². Tea and coffee bag tissue is a special light weight tissue available either as a heat sealable product (containing a proportion of polypropylene fibres), or as a non-heat sealable product, in grammages from 12 to 17 g/m². It incorporates long fibres, such as those derived from manilla hemp, which give a strong permeable sheet at the low grammages used.

A 100% biodegradable and compostable tea and coffee bag tissue is now available with fibre based on Ingeo^TM (PLA, polylactic acid). This product is suitable for use on tea and coffee, packing machines that use ultrasonic sealing technology (Ahlstrom, 2009).

Paper labels

These may be MG (machine glazed), MF (machine finished) or calendered kraft papers (100% sulphate chemical pulp) in the grammage range 70–90 g/m². The paper may be coated on- machine or cast coated for the highest gloss in an off-machine or secondary process.

The term finish in the paper industry refers to the surface appearance. This may be:

• MF – machine finish, smooth but not glazed
• WF – water finish where one or both sides are dampened and smoothed, to be smoother and glossier than MF
• MG – machine glazed with high gloss on one side only
• SC – supercalendered, i.e. dampened and polished off-machine to produce a high gloss on both sides

Bag papers

For sugar or flour, coated or uncoated bleached kraft in the range 90–100 g/m² is used. Imitation kraft is a term on which there is no universally agreed definition, it can be either a blend of kraft with recycled fibre or it can be 100% recycled. It is usually dyed brown. It has many uses for wrapping and for bags where it may have an MG and a ribbed finish. Thinner grades may be used for lamination with aluminium foil and PE for use on form/fill/seal machines.

Sack kraft

Usually, this is unbleached kraft (100% sulphate chemical) pulp, though there is some use of bleached kraft. The grammage range is 70–100 g/m².

Impregnated papers

Wax impregnated paper and fluorocarbon treatment for grease/fat resistance is produced on- machine.

Laminating papers

These are coated and uncoated papers (40–80 g/m²) based on both kraft (sulphate) and sulphite pulps. These papers can be laminated to aluminium foil and extrusion coated with PE. The heavier weights can be PE laminated to plastic films and wax or glue laminated to unlined chipboard.

Solid bleached board (SBB)

Solid bleached board is made exclusively from bleached chemical pulp (Fig. 8.6). It usually has a mineral pigment coated top surface and some grades are also coated on the back. The term SBS (solid bleached sulphate), derived from the method of pulp production, is sometimes used to describe this product.

This paperboard has excellent surface and printing characteristics. It gives wide scope for innovative structural design and can be embossed, cut, creased, folded and glued with ease.

This is a pure cellulose primary (virgin) paperboard with consistent purity for food product safety, making it the best choice for the packaging of aroma and flavour sensitive products. Examples of use include chocolate confectionery, frozen foods, cheese, tea, coffee, reheatable products and as a base for liquid packaging.

Solid unbleached board (SUB)

Solid unbleached board is made exclusively from unbleached chemical pulp (Fig. 8.7). The base board is brown in colour. This product is also known as solid unbleached sulphate. To achieve a white surface, it can be coated with a white mineral pigment coating, sometimes in combination with a layer of bleached white fibres under the coating. This board is used where there is a high strength requirement in terms of puncture and tear resistance and/or good wet strength is required, such as for bottle or can multipacks, and as a base for liquid packaging.

Folding boxboard (FBB)

Folding boxboard comprises middle layers of mechanical pulp sandwiched between layers of bleached chemical pulp (Fig. 8.8). The top layer of bleached chemical pulp is usually coated with a white mineral pigment coating. The back is cream (manilla) in colour. This is because the back layer of bleached chemical pulp is translucent allowing the colour of the middle layers to show through.

However, if the mechanical pulp in the middle layers has been given a mild chemical treatment (bleached), it is lighter in colour, and this makes the reverse side colour lighter in shade. The back layer may, however, be thicker or coated with a white mineral pigment coating, thus becoming a white back folding box board. The combination of inner layers of mechanical pulp and outer layers of bleached chemical pulp creates a board with high stiffness. Fully coated grades have a smooth surface and excellent printing characteristics. This pa- perboard is a primary (virgin fibre) product with consistent purity for food product safety and suitable for the packing of aroma and flavour sensitive products. It is widely used for food prod- ucts, such as confectionery, frozen and chilled foods, tea, coffee, bakery products and biscuits.

White lined chipboard (WLC)

White lined chipboard comprises middle plies of recycled pulp recovered from mixed papers or carton waste. The middle layers are grey in colour. The top layer, or liner of bleached chemical pulp is usually white mineral pigment coated. The second layer, or under liner, may also comprise bleached chemical pulp or mechanical pulp. This product is also known as newsboard. The term chipboard is also used, though this name is more likely to be associated with an unlined grade, i.e. without a white, or other colour, surface liner ply (Fig. 8.9).

The reverse-side outer layer usually comprises specially selected recycled pulp and is grey in colour. The external appearance may be white by the use of bleached chemical pulp and, possibly, a white mineral pigment coating. (White PE has also been used.) There are additional grades of unlined chipboard and grades with special dyed liner plies for use in the manufacture of corrugated fibreboard.

The overall content of WLC varies from about 80–100% recovered fibre depending on the choice of fibre used in the various layers. WLC is widely used for cereals, dried foods, frozen and chilled foods, and confectionery outers.

PROPERTIES OF PAPER AND PAPERBOARD

The features of paper and paperboard that make these materials suitable for packaging relate to appearance and performance. These features are determined by the type of paper and paper- board – the raw materials used and the way they have been processed.

Appearance and performance can be related to measurable properties that are controlled in the selection of  raw materials and the manufacturing process.

National and international standard test procedures have been published by British Standards (UK), DIN (Germany), ISO, and in the United States, there is TAPPI (Technical Association for the Pulp and Paper Industry) and ASTM International (formally the American Society for Testing Materials).

Appearance

Appearance relates to the visual impact of the pack and can be expressed in terms of colour, smoothness and whether the surface has a high or low gloss (matte) finish.

Colour depends on the choice of fibre for the outer surface, and also, where appropriate, the reverse side. As described above, the choice is either white, brown or grey. In addition, some liners for corrugated board comprise a mix of bleached and brown fibres.

Other colours are technically possible either by using fibres dyed to a specific colour or coated with a mineral pigment-coloured coating. Where paper and paperboard is required for quality printing, it is usually coated on the print side during manufacture with a mineral-based coating, usually white in colour, based on china clay or calcium carbonate. The reverse side may also be coated where two-side printing is required.

Performance

Performance properties are related to the level of efficiency achieved during the manufacture of the pack, in printing, cutting and creasing, gluing and the packing operation. Performance properties are also related to pack compression strength in storage, distribution, at the point of sale and in consumer use.

Specific measurable properties include stiffness, short span compression (rigidity) strength, tensile strength, wet strength, % stretch, tear strength, fold endurance, puncture resistance and ply bond strength. Other performance properties relate to moisture content, air permeability, water absorbency, surface friction, surface tension, ink absorbency, etc. Chemical properties include pH, whilst chloride and sulphate residues are relevant for aluminium foil lamination.

Flatness is easily evaluated but is a complicated issue as lack of flatness can arise from several potential causes, from the hygrosensitivity characteristics of the fibre, manufacturing variables and handling at any stage, including printing and use. Neutrality with respect to odour and taint, and product safety are performance needs that are important in the context of paper and board packaging, which is in direct or close proximity to food.

ADDITIONAL FUNCTIONAL PROPERTIES OF PAPER AND PAPERBOARD

Additional barrier and functional performance for food packaging needs can be imparted to paper and paperboard by one or more of the following processes.

Treatment during manufacture

• Hard sizing

Sizing is a term used to describe a treatment that delays the rate at which water is absorbed, both through the edges (wicking) and through the surface. It is achieved by the use of chemicals added during the stock, or pulp, preparation stage prior to forming in manufacture. This is known as internal sizing. Traditionally, alum, a natural resin, derived from wood was used. Today several synthetic sizing materials are also available. Paperboard used in packaging for frozen and chilled food and for liquid packaging needs to be hard sized.

• Sizing with wax

Sizing with wax on-machine.

• Acrylic resin dispersion

Acrylic resin dispersion (water-based) coating – heat sealable, moderate moisture and oxygen barrier, available as one side coating on-machine.

• Fluorocarbon dispersion

Fluorocarbon dispersion coating, high fat resistant one-side coating on-machine.

Note: The terms on-machine and off-machine are commonly used in the paper industry. The machine in question is the paper or paperboard machine. An on-machine process takes place as the paper or paperboard is being made and off-machine is a subsequent process carried out on a machine designed specially for the process concerned.

Lamination

This process applies another functional or decorative material, in sheet or reel form, to the paper or paperboard surface with the help of an adhesive. Examples are:

• aluminium foil applied to one or both sides, provides a barrier to moisture, flavour, common gases, such as oxygen, and UV light. Aluminium foil laminated to paper and paperboard  is also used for direct contact and easy release for foods that will be cooked or reheated in radiation or convection ovens. Aluminium foil is also used to provide a decorative metallic finish as, for example, on cartons for chocolate confectionery
• greaseproof paper laminated to paperboard: good grease resistance for fat containing prod- ucts, temperature resistance to 180^◦C for cooking/reheatable packs. If additionally the grease- proof paper has a release coating, this product can be used to pack sticky or tacky products
• glassine paper laminated to paperboard: grease resistance for products with moderate fat content, such as cakes or bake-in-box applications. If the glassine is coloured the pack should not be used in reheatable applications but food contact approved grades can be used for direct contact with, for example, chocolate

The adhesives used for lamination include PVA-type emulsions, starch-based, resin/solvent- based, cross-linking compounds, molten wax or PE depending on the needs of the particular laminate. The presence of wax and PE also improves the barrier to water vapour. When PE is used as an adhesive the process would be described as extrusion lamination.

Plastic extrusion coating and laminating

Polyethylene (PE) heat sealable moisture barrier. Low density polyethylene (LDPE) is widely used in the plastic extrusion coating and laminating of paper and paperboard. Easier heat sealing results when PE is modified with EVA (Ethylene vinyl acetate). Medium and high density PE has a higher temperature limit, better abrasion resistance and higher barrier properties than LDPE. One and two side coatings are available (Fig. 8.10).

Polypropylene (PP) heat sealable, moisture and fat barrier. It can withstand temperatures up to 140^◦C and is used for packing foods to be reheated in ovens up to this temperature. One and two side coatings are available.

Polyethylene terephthalate (PET) heat sealable, moisture and fat barrier. It can withstand temperatures up to 200^◦C and is dual ovenable (microwave and conventional ovens). It is coated only on the non-printing side.

Polymethylpentene (PMP) moisture and fat barrier and not heat sealable. It is, therefore, used as flat sheets, deep drawn trays and trays with mechanically locked corners. It is coated only on the non-printing side.

Ethylene vinyl alcohol (EVOH) and polyamide (PA) heat sealable, fat, oxygen and light barrier. EVOH is moisture sensitive and needs to be sandwiched between hydrophobic materials, such as PE. It can be used as a non-metallic alternative to the aluminium foil layer.

Ionomer resin (SurlynQR  ), a polyolefin with high resistance to fat, including essential oils in citrus fruit, and moisture with very good sealing properties, is used as a tie layer on aluminium foil when applying PE to foil.

Bioplastic extrusion coatings are now available as a PE alternative. This starch-based material is sustainable and meets the EN13432 standard for compostability (Packaging News 2008).

The process of extrusion is often extended to include extrusion lamination so that a structure, such as paper or paperboard/PE/aluminium foil/PE, can be produced in one operation on an extruder with two extruding units.

Note: By special selection of polymers, e.g. for lids and trays, it is possible to provide easy-open peelable heat-seals.

Printing and varnishing

Usually, printing and varnishing are associated with the appearance of the pack with respect to the visual impact of the pack through colour, information, text and illustration. There are also important functional aspects of printing and varnishing that are important for food packaging.

All the main printing processes are used – gravure, flexographic, letterpress, silk screen and lithographic. Paper and paperboard can also be printed by the recently introduced digital process. Choice is influenced by the appearance and performance (functional) needs and commercial aspects, such as order size, lead time and price.

The inks and varnishes may be those described as traditional for the process concerned, based on pigment, resin and vehicle. The vehicle, which transports the pigment and resin from the ink or varnish reservoir to the substrate via the printing plate, varnish pick-up roll, etc., may be an organic solvent, water or a drying oil. For some processes, pigments are replaced by dyes. In recent years, inks and varnishes cured by UV radiation have also become popular, and these materials are extremely inert. They give good rub resistance in wet and dry conditions and are resistant to product absorption. The inks contain pigment, cross-linking resins and a photo-initiator; they are 100% solid and are dry immediately after printing.

The functional requirements include adherence to colour standards, light fastness, rub re- sistance, print-to-print and print-to-pack registration and stability within the conditions of use. For some food products where the print is in close proximity to the food, e.g. chocolate con- fectionery, it is important that no residual solvents from the inks and varnishes, or any other interaction between print and product affects the food product.

Post-printing roller varnishing/coating/laminating

Post-printing roller varnishing and coating is usually associated with high gloss and can involve UV cured varnishes. The process can also be used for the application of functional varnishes to meet specific end use needs. The most common example of this is the application of heat-seal coatings for blister packs.

Another example of coating is the application of wax. This can take a variety of forms:

• dry waxing where molten wax is applied to one or both sides of a printed paper or a printed/cut/creased carton blank. The appearance is a matte finish
• wet or high gloss waxing. Immediately after coating, the printed paper or carton blank is conveyed through very cold water. This causes the wax to set immediately, producing a very high gloss finish

Waxed paperboard provides water and water vapour resistance. It can be heat sealable. The first liquid packaging cartons (∼1920) were waxed. Wax is also a good gas barrier and can therefore protect food products against flavour loss or ingress of contamination. The main food applications today are for bread wrap, items of sugar confectionery (paper), frozen food and ice cream (cartons) and fresh produce (corrugated board). Cellulose acetate and OPP laminated to paperboard enhance appearance after printing.

DESIGN FOR PAPER AND PAPERBOARD PACKAGING

Surface design concerns colour, text, illustrations, decoration, finish (gloss or matte) and surface texture. It is achieved by making use of the basic surface properties of the paper or paperboard and through lamination, coating, hot foil stamping, embossing, printing and varnishing. Surface design usually refers to the external surface of a pack but there are situations where the internal surface is important for the overall effect, e.g. the inside surfaces of chocolate and tea bag cartons. Structural design is concerned with the shape of packages. The functional shape is determined  by the needs of the pack, e.g. closure and opening features. Creative shape adds interest for promotional needs where that is appropriate. Paper and paperboard are materials that give a designer freedom to develop imaginative solutions in meeting customer needs. This is due to a number of factors:

• range of surfaces, in terms of colour and finish, available
• range of strength properties, in terms of fibre type, thickness and method of manufacture, available
• choice of functional coating, lamination, decoration, printing, etc
• ease of conversion into packages in terms of cutting, creasing, folding, gluing, locking, heat sealing, etc
• innovative machinery for conversion and packing

School of Mechanical & Production Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, Republic of Singapore

Source:

International Journal of Physical Distribution & Logistics Management

ISSN: 0960-0035

Article publication date: 1 March 2003

Keywords: Packaging, Printed Paper Box, Rigid Paper Box, Design, Costs, Efficiency, Productivity

Abstract

Packaging costs (direct labor and material) account for a substantial portion of a product’s manufactured cost and so it is desirable to minimize these costs. And since major productivity gains have already been realised in manufacturing operations, the last frontier for productivity improvements appears to be in logistics. A formal methodology is therefore proposed to assess the efficiency of manual insertion and packing operations such as folding, insertion, labeling, sealing and scanning. Through this methodology, inefficient packaging operations can be identified and improved upon. This paper also discusses how standard manual handling and insertion times can be computed from raw data collected from industry. These standard manual handling and insertion times form the basis for the computation of the manual packaging efficiency expressed as a packaging index. The closer the index is to 1, the more efficient are the packaging operations. Tables of standard times for labelling, scanning barcodes, sealing with adhesive tape, and insertion into Zip-Locke bags and rigid paper boxes with two, three and four flaps are presented. A simple five-step procedure records the ideal and actual packaging times in a worksheet, from which the packaging efficiency may be computed. The methodology was applied to the packaging of mobile phones, hard disk drives, a desk-jet printer, a notebook computer, a video cassette recorder and a microwave oven. The packaging efficiencies of the three popular mobile phone models were computed to be 81.5 percent, 76 percent and 74.4 percent. By adopting the best packaging features of two competitor models, it was found that the packaging efficiency of one model of mobile phone could be improved by 13.7 percent. Arising from the research, the authors postulated a general manual packaging line consisting of all conceivable manual packaging operations. This generic manual packaging line is significant in a specific line for a specific product may be quickly configured from it. Finally, arising from the experience of the authors in this research, guidelines for the design of efficient packaging lines are proposed.

Introduction

Product packaging is the science, art and technology of protecting products for the purposes of containment, protection, transportation/storage and information display. Figure 1 summarizes the five main functions of packaging. Three-quarters of all finished goods require packaging, with the food and drink industry making up 90 percent of that packaging market (Hanlon, 1984). As logistics is the last frontier for in-factory productivity improvement, attention is now focused on improving product packaging operations by minimizing the volume of material used and rationalizing the number and types of packaging operations (and therefore costs associated with equipment and labor).

Many factors impinge on manual packaging, such as the design of the packaging item, the nature of packaging materials used and their costs. Effective product packaging depends not only on the volume of material used and manpower, but on other factors such as packaging design. Over the last ten years, the authors have researched into expanded polystyrene protective packaging; the design of the protective buffer vis-a`-vis the product (Lye and Ho,1993; Lye and Yeong, 1994; Lye et al., 1997), fabrication processes (Lye et al.

1995, 1996; Lye and Yeong, 1996), computer-mediated packaging design (Lye and Lee, 1998, 1999; Lye and Chuchom, 1997) and, more recently, the re-cycling of expanded polystyrene foam buffers (Lye et al., 2002). The outcome of this research is design methodology to minimize waste and maximize in-factory profits. Sometimes, by changing the type of packaging, dramatic savings can be realized. For instance, Media Arts Group, a direct marketing company from San Jose, California, recently substituted paper pads around its painter frames with molded corners, thereby cutting down the number of workers needed from 21 to only three (Brody and Marsh, 1997). Space-saving protective packaging that provides the same level of protection often consume up to 85 percent less material and require less material handling effort (Hanlon, 1984).

There are as many packaging materials as there are packaging operations, as Figure 2 illustrates.

Table I shows the actual and forecast consumption of packaging materials in the USA (Rauch Associates, 2002). The figures do not include plastic food and garbage bags, fast-food packaging, re-conditioned barrels and drums, gas cylinders, tubes and cores and bulk containers. As can be seen, the major packaging materials are paper and paperboard, metals, plastics and glass, with plastics registering the highest likely increase. In fact, paper and paperboard packaging is used by more than 78 percent of all manufacturing industries. Wood is making a comeback as an environmentally acceptable packaging material. The major packaging plastics, polyethylene (PE), polypropylene (PP), polyvinyl chloride (PVC), polystyrene (PS), polyethylene terephthalate (PETE), polycarbonate (PC) and polyamide (PA), are transparent, flexible and have high tensile and impact strength (Hanlon, 1984). Often, plastics are reinforced with paper or aluminium foil to form a laminate. The value of industry shipments is about 2.2 percent of all US manufacturing, registering a 12.6 percent increase between 1996 and 2000, or an average of 3 percent per year. Consumer products account for 78 percent of the value of all packaging of which, food and beverages claims 55 percent. Industrial products account for the remaining 22 percent of total value.

The three major components of packaging costs are labor, equipment and material costs. In manual packaging, only labor and material costs are significant so a methodology to systematically compute labor and material costs is desirable. About 9 percent of the cost of any product is likely to be the cost of its packaging (La´szlo, 1990); about 90 percent of this cost of packaging may be attributed to factors other than the packaging material itself (Stern,1981). The manufacture, use and disposal of packaging accounts for up to about 60 percent of total production costs, or between 15-50 percent of the selling price of a product (Rauch Associates, 2002; Harckham, 1989; Briston and Neill, 1972). In addition, packaging materials constitute as much as 65 percent of the global solid waste, which underscores the need for packaging materials to be ecologically friendly (Brody and Marsh, 1997). Today, environmentally-responsible packaging manufacture is the responsibility of all stakeholders: raw material suppliers, packaging manufacturers and converters, users (fillers and packers) and traders (distributors, wholesalers and retailers) (Levy, 1993, 1999).

In present-day supply chain logistics, the influence of packaging is even  more significant. A new methodology called “packaging scorecard” was developed to assess the overall packaging contributions of all partners in the supply  chain  (Jo¨nson,  2000).  Tested  on  two  different  types  of  packaging systems for fast-moving consumer goods, it was found that retail made more efficient use of cardboard containers, while distribution was least efficient. Packaging is recognized as having a significant impact on the efficiency of the supply chain (Twede, 1992; Ebeling, 1990). However, packaging costs are often not considered or measured by logisticians or packaging designers (Twede, 1992). The same author found that the handling of packaging items strongly impacts the overall logistics cost of a grocery chain. For instance, ICA, Sweden’s largest grocery retail chain, claims that 75 percent of the total handling time in their retail chain occurs in the store and that is mainly due to packaging handling. The facts above underscore the need to quantify and minimise the time incurred for handling and other packaging operations through the whole distribution chain. Packaging and logistics should be more tightly integrated, at the same time as new packaging concepts and solutions that facilitate a more efficient handling are developed.

The objective of this paper is to introduce an objective, quantifiable performance metric to gage the effectiveness of packaging operations. Such a metric has the potential of improving factory productivity and rationalizing the entire supply chain. Many companies adopt a proven packaging design, but never get around to optimizing the type and volume of packaging used. The authors propose a “design for manual packaging” (DFPkg) methodology that is simple and easy to use and computes an index by which the effectiveness of different packaging operations may be compared.

Manual packaging

It is generally accepted that a manual packaging line comprises the basic packaging operations of folding, inserting, wrapping, sealing and labeling (La´szlo, 1990). The packaging is first folded from its collapsed form and then the product inserted into the folded package, which is then wrapped with a packaging sheet (which may be made of plastic, foam or paper) before it is sealed by tape, stapled or strapped. Finally, identification labels such as barcodes are either stuck or printed on. Figure 3 shows diagrammatically the various packaging materials and forms of packaging associated with each packaging operation.

Methodology for DFPkg

It is the experience of the authors that, despite the prevalence of packaging operations in industry, little research has focused on ways to improve their efficiencies. When one considers the quantum jumps in productivity gains in manufacturing, it appears that the last frontier of productivity improvement is in product packaging. Motivated by this, the authors propose a DFPkg methodology which has elements of design for the environment (DFEnv) (Paine, 1991) and design for assembly (DFA) (Hanlon, 1984; Boothroyd et al., 1994). By incorporating DFEnv, the authors acknowledge the potential impact of environmentally-hostile product packaging materials and practices. Since packaging operations are akin to part assembly, the basic principles of assembly can be applied to packaging, except that, because packaging is less intricate than parts assembly, the time expended for packaging is generally shorter than those for part assembly. Before we discuss the DFPkg methodology, it is important to first establish the standard times for the various packaging operations.

Standardizing the times of packaging operations

Since the authors were unable to locate any published data, they decided to measure the raw times and compute the standard times themselves. This was achieved through recording the times for skilled operators to perform the various packaging operations in manufacturing companies. For each packaging operation reported in this paper, the authors  recorded  20 stopwatch readings and computed the simple mean. Where it was  not  possible to observe the packaging operations in situ, the packaging operations were replicated in the university, under conditions that closely resembled those

in industry. These controlled experiments accounted for about 15 percent of all packaging operations. The standard packaging times are then computed from the rating (or speed of working) of a skilled operator and all allowances associated with the job.

Rating

As the operator under observation may perform the tasks at a speed faster or                               slower than under normal circumstances, the time study analyst compares the performance (speed and tempo) of the subject under observation with his own perception of normal performance. Based on the performance rating system (Barnes, 1980), the rating of a single factor, be it operator speed, pace or tempo, may be expressed as a percentage of the normal performance which is set at 100 percent. A rating of 10 percent is the norm and this was the value adopted by the authors.

Normal time

The observed time multiplied by the rating yields the “normal” time. Thus: Normal time ¼ Observed time £ Rating. The normal time therefore is the time that a motivated, well-trained operator working at a steady pace takes to complete one cycle of an operation. When all allowances are factored into the normal time, we arrive at the standard time.

Allowances

Three general types of allowances (Barnes, 1980) are often considered:

• Personal allowance. Every worker must be allowed time for personal needs like going to the washroom, meal breaks, or even just to have a drink. For light work in an eight-hour working day without planned rest periods, 10 to 24 minutes a day is typical. For packaging, a 5 percent allowance is reasonable (Barnes, 1980).
  • Fatigue allowance. Where the task is repetitive or strenuous or stressful, some allowance for recovery from fatigue is necessary. However, as packaging operations are not very physically demanding, the authors have chosen not to include a fatigue allowance (Barnes, 1980).

Delay allowance. Delays may be caused by interruptions such as material shortages or consultation with supervisors. Delays due to mishandling were also taken into account.

It will be appreciated that the values of the three allowances are by no means universal, being a matter of company policy. All three allowances are factored into the normal time to yield the standard time as follows:

Standard time 25% Normal time + (normal time allowance expressed as a percentage).

Standard manual handling and insertion times

The standard times for handling and inserting packaging items (such as Zip- Locke bags and two-, three- and four-flap paper boxes), as well as operations such as labelling, taping and scanning, can now be computed. The results are shown in Tables II-IX. A few explanations are in order:

• L (length) refers to the longest side of the packaging and W (width) refers to the second longest side or another side with the same length.

• A human being can handle with two hands a maximum of 25kg (men) and 15kg (women). In order to avoid fatigue, a person should handle no more than 15 percent of the maximum weight in a repetitive working cycle  (Brody and Marsh, 1997). Therefore, packaging which is heavier than 2kg is considered heavy for women workers
• Some packaging items such as plastic bags or greasy coatings are difficult to handle because they easily nest, tangle or stick together. Other packaging items that are fragile or delicate, or which have sharp corners or edges (i.e. metal straps), also need special handling.
• Handling aids refer to tools/mechanisms that are needed to hold the package/product in place in order to manipulate the package or pack the product (BSI 1133, 1991).
• The packaging materials may be inserted either horizontally  or vertically. When inserting horizontally, packaging materials  are  inserted from either the left or right side of the product when the  product is positioned flat on a surface. On the other hand, in vertical insertion, packaging materials are inserted from either the top or underneath of the product when the product is positioned the same way as when it is to be horizontally inserted.

As a packaging item has to be oriented before use, it is first necessary to establish the rotational symmetry of the item, thus:

• a-symmetry is the rotational symmetry of an object about an axis perpendicular to the axis of insertion. For objects with a single axis of insertion, end-to-end orientation is necessary when a ¼ 3608, otherwise a ¼ 1808 (see Figure 4).
• b-symmetry is the rotational symmetry of an object about its axis of insertion; or equivalently about an axis which is perpendicular to the surface on which the object is placed during insertion. The magnitude of the rotational symmetry is the smallest angle through which the object can be rotated without altering its orientation. For instance, for a cylinder inserted into a circular hole, b ¼ 08; for an object with a square section inserted into a square hole, b ¼ 908.

Thus, for example, the average manual handling time of a packaging item which  is  easy  to  handle   and   grasp,   and   measuring   L , 10cm and ða þ bÞ , 608, i.e. (0,0) in Table II is computed as follows:

Manual packaging efficiency

Now that the standard manual packaging times have been established, the efficiency of manual packaging operations may be computed in five simple steps, using a worksheet such as the one shown in Figure 5:

• Identify the various items (parts) to be packaged and their corresponding packaging operations (i.e. handling or insertion).
• Look up the two-digit code of the packaging operation from Tables II-IX. This is the ideal packaging time (PT_i ). Enter it in column 5.
• The ideal minimum number of packaging items (NM ) is entered in column 7. NM is a crucial factor in assessing the packaging efficiency because redundant packaging items add to costs. Guidelines have been proposed to assess if a packaging item is redundant (Levy, 1993).
• The product of column 7 (NM ) and column 5 (PT_i) gives the actual packaging time (PT_a) in column 6.

Finally, the manual packaging efficiency may be computed as follows:

Manual packaging efficiency

Now that the standard manual packaging times have been established, the efficiency of manual packaging operations may be computed in five simple steps, using a worksheet such as the one shown in Figure 5:

1. Identify the various items (parts) to be packaged and their corresponding packaging operations (i.e. handling or insertion).
2. Look up the two-digit code of the packaging operation from Tables II-IX. This is the ideal packaging time (PT_i ). Enter it in column 5.
3. The ideal minimum number of packaging items (NM ) is entered in column 7. NM is a crucial factor in assessing the packaging efficiency because redundant packaging items add to costs. Guidelines have been proposed to assess if a packaging item is redundant (Levy, 1993).
4. The product of column 7 (NM ) and column 5 (PT_i) gives the actual packaging time (PT_a) in column 6.
5. Finally, the manual packaging efficiency may be computed as follows:

Manual Packaging Efficiency ¼ PT_i=PT_a:

As the actual packaging time, PT_a, is always longer than the ideal, PT_i, the efficiency is less than 100 per cent. As the actual packaging time approaches the ideal time, the efficiency will be closer to unity.

Applications of the DFPkg methodology The DFPkg methodology was applied to the packaging of hard disk drives, mobile phones and four consumer products.

Hard disk drive

Hard disk drives are compact mass memory storage devices for computers that are packaged to protect them primarily from shock and vibration. Because of high volume production, even small gains in packaging efficiency can translate into significant cost savings. The sequence of packaging a hard disk drive is as follows:

1. The hard disk drive is placed onto the conveyor system.
2. A label is pasted onto the product and scanned.
3. A protective plastic bag is retrieved from a container and slipped horizontally into the drive.
4. A second label is peeled and pasted on the external surface of the protective plastic bag for lot identification and traceability purposes.
5. The protective plastic bag is then tape sealed.
6. Two polystyrene end caps are taken from a shelf and slipped horizontally onto the packaged drive.
7. The packaged drive with the two end caps is then inserted vertically into a printed paper box, which is taken from a side tray. The paper printed box is then closed and sealed by tape. The packaging operation is now complete.

The DFP worksheet for the hard disk drive is shown in Figure 6. A brief explanation of the entries for each part follows:

The packaging efficiency was computed to be 85.1 percent, as shown in the worksheet of Figure 6. A quick glance at the entries of column 6 reveals that part ID no. 6 “protective cap” incurs the longest handling time of 11.06 seconds. If the handling of protective caps can be expedited either through the rationalisation of procedures or the application of special-purpose tools, the overall packaging efficiency can be improved further.

Mobile phones

The phenomenal surge in demand for mobile phones worldwide prompted the authors to investigate into the efficiency of their packaging operations. Like hard disk drives, small gains in packaging efficiency can translate into significant cost savings. The packaging of the following mobile phones were analysed: the Ericsson A, Ericsson B, Motorola Taiwan, Motorola B, Nokia A and Nokia B.

It is interesting to note that there is no standard type of packaging even for the same model of Motorola mobile phone because packaging decisions rest with the customer, namely the telecommunications operator, who bears the cost of packaging. Thus, the Motorola Taiwan model uses one polystyrene molded tray whereas the Thailand equivalent uses two trays. Furthermore, the primary packaging of accessories such as the charger, the adapter, the battery, and instructions manual are all out-sourced (except for the packaging of the hand set). As the authors had assumed that the primary packaging of some accessories such as the charger, the battery and the adapter were done in- house, the packaging efficiency is lower than expected. For instance, the packaging efficiency for the Singapore model is 0.760 whereas for Thailand’s it is 0.898. Furthermore, the cable tie was found to be superfluous as the charger comes inside a packaging paper box, while the Zip-Locke bag can be easily punctured by the sharp protrusions of the adapter. As the authors assumed that these two primary packaging operations were present in the actual line, the total packaging time increased by 10.58 seconds, thus reducing the packaging efficiency.

The ideal time to pack one unit of Ericsson’s mobile phone is 57.20 seconds, 61.53 seconds for Motorola and 60.28 seconds for Nokia. By industrial standards, these times are acceptable. The corresponding packaging efficiencies were computed as shown in Table X.

By adopting the best features of Ericsson and Motorola, the packaging efficiency of the Nokia A model can be improved as follows: maintain the size of the outer box, use one rather than two labels and one molded tray instead of two, and use a two-flap instead of a four-flap rigid paper box. If the above changes are made, the unit packaging time of the Nokia A decreases by 10.33 seconds, and its packaging efficiency improves by 0.137 or 13.7 percent.

Other manufactured products

Besides the hard disk drive and mobile phone, the packaging efficiencies of a few consumer products were also computed as shown in Table XI.

Although it is intuitive that the fewer the number of packaging items, the higher the packaging efficiency, Table XI shows the quantum of difference. Thus, the desk-jet printer has a lower the packaging efficiency than the microwave oven, say. On the other hand, the microwave oven and video cassette recorder, with the same number of parts, have similar packaging efficiencies. It can also be seen from Table XI that manual handling takes the longest time, compared to insertion and manual packing. This underscores the need to organise the presentation of packaging item and items to be packed in order to minimise the time for manual handling.

Some general recommendations

Arising from the collaboration with industry and the research undertaken, two major findings emerged:

• the formulation of a generic packaging line; and
• guidelines on the design of efficient packaging operations.

The notion of a general packaging line (GPL) It is not wishful thinking to conceive of a general packaging line consisting of all conceivable manual packaging operations. Such a line is a helpful aid in

packaging planning. A packaging line for a specific product can be quickly configured from knowledge of the essential packaging operations.

A generic manual packaging line comprises the packaging operations and items as shown in Figure 7, organized into primary, secondary and tertiary (transportation) sub-lines. These three sub-lines correspond to, broadly speaking, primary, secondary and tertiary packaging functions.

Sometimes, several primary packaging lines converge into one secondary packaging line. Take, for example, the packaging of a video cassette recorder (see Figure 8). The wires, remote control unit and the videocassette recorder itself are packed in the primary lines 1 through 3, before converging into the secondary packaging, a rigid paper box.

The manual packaging line of a Nokia model of mobile phone is as shown in Figure 9. The mobile phone comes with an instruction booklet and a warranty card, a battery and a charger. The packaging items comprise two polyethylene bags, two molded paper pulp trays, one outer corrugated printed box and one cable tie. The outer box designs are all the same. Mid-range and lower range phones are packed in the molded paper pulp tray and the outer box.

The manual packaging of a desk-jet printer, comprising accessories such as the printer cartridge, the power and USB cables, is next discussed. These four items may be packaged in four different ways, as shown in Table XII. The manual packaging line of option 1 is shown in Figure 10.

Guidelines for design for ease of packaging

The authors propose a set of guidelines to assist engineers in designing more effective packaging items and systems:

1. Minimize the number and types of packaging items or packaging processes:
   • For example, eliminate the number of sealing processes by designing parts with integral locking features, e.g. Zip-Locke bags.
   • To assess if an existing or an additional packaging item is necessary, we ask “Is the packaging item distinct from all other items, otherwise it will be extremely difficult or even impossible to unpack?” If the packaging item need not be distinct from others, then it can be integrated with the others into a single package.
   • Is the packaging “over-designed”? If an existing or additional packaging item does not add value to the packaging function, then it is redundant and can be eliminated.
2. Ensure ease of handling of packaging from bulk. Use appropriate dispensers to handle flexible packaging material such as blister wrap (Jo¨nson, 2000).
3. Minimize the need for re-orientation during packaging. Orientate the packaging material in the same direction as required by the packaging operation.
4. Ensure that a packaging operation cannot be undertaken incorrectly. The orientations of packaging materials should be unambiguous and clearly marked, e.g. the active face of anti-static wrap.
5. Maximize the symmetry of a packaging item or make it obviously asymmetrical. Use a packaging paper box with a rectangular opening for a product with a rectangular cross-section.
6. Avoid wrapping products with protrusions or sharp corners or inserting them into bags:
   • Sharp corners tend to puncture or tear the packaging.
   • The sharp corners and protrusions usually tangle with the bag during insertion, thus making packaging difficult.
7. Avoid using flexible packaging which is difficult to handle and therefore take a longer time:
   • Shrink wrap tends to stick together.
   • Use substitutes whenever possible.
8. Use lightweight packaging whenever possible. Use cardboard gift boxes instead of wooden crates thereby saving transportation costs.
9. Package products in bulk and in larger quantities. By so doing, the volume of packaging material saved can be considerable.

Guidelines for design for ease of packaging

The authors propose a set of guidelines to assist engineers in designing more effective packaging items and systems:

• Minimize the number and types of packaging items or packaging processes:
  • For example, eliminate the number of sealing processes by designing parts with integral locking features, e.g. Zip-Locke bags.
  • To assess if an existing or an additional packaging item is necessary, we ask “Is the packaging item distinct from all other items, otherwise it will be extremely difficult or even impossible to unpack?” If the packaging item need not be distinct from others, then it can be integrated with the others into a single package.
  • Is the packaging “over-designed”? If an existing or additional packaging item does not add value to the packaging function, then it is redundant and can be eliminated.
• Ensure ease of handling of packaging from bulk. Use appropriate dispensers to handle flexible packaging material such as blister wrap (Jo¨nson, 2000).
• Minimize the need for re-orientation during packaging. Orientate the packaging material in the same direction as required by the packaging operation.

ConcJaneon

This paper presents a methodology to assess the effectiveness of manual packaging operations such as folding, insertion, labeling, sealing and scanning. Manual handling and insertion standard times were computed from raw data collected from industry. These standard times form the basis for the computation of a manual packaging efficiency index, which compares the ideal to the actual manual packaging times. The closer the index is to unity, the more efficient are the packaging operations.

The methodology was applied to the packaging of mobile phones, hard disk drives, a desk-jet printer, a notebook computer, a video cassette recorder and a microwave oven. The case study of the hard disk drive illustrates the ability of the methodology to identify packaging operations that take a long time. The three mobile phone models, on the other hand, illustrate how the best packaging features of similar products may be adopted to improve packaging efficiency. It was found that the packaging efficiency of one model of mobile phone can be improved by 13.7 percent if only one label and one molded tray were used, and a two-flap box were used instead of a four-flap one. Arising from the research, the authors postulated a general packaging line consisting of all conceivable manual packaging operations from which a specific line for a specific product may be quickly configured. Finally, guidelines for the design of efficient packaging lines are proposed.

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Citation

Lee, S.G. and Lye, S.W. (2003), “Design for manual packaging”, International Journal of Physical Distribution & Logistics Management, Vol. 33 No. 2, pp. 163-189. https://doi.org/10.1108/09600030310469162

Source: International Journal of Application of Engineering and Technology Vol-2 No.-3

Abstract

Corrugated board is widely used in the packing industry. The main advantages are lightness, recyclability and low cost. This makes the material the best choice to produce containers devoted to the shipping of goods. Furthermore examples of structure design based on corrugated boards can be found in different fields. Structural analysis of paperboard components is a crucial topic in the design of containers. It is required to investigate their strength properties because they have to protect the goods contained from lateral crushing and compression loads due to stacking. However in this paper complete and detailed information are presented.

Keywords: – corrugated boards, recyclability, compression loads, corrugated printed box

1. Introduction

Corrugated board is essentially a paper sandwich consisting of corrugated medium layered between inside and outside linerboard. On the production side, corrugated is a sub-category of the paperboard industry, which is a sub-category of the paper industry, which is a sub-category of the forest products industry. On the marketing side, it is a part of the packaging industry. Throughout the distribution cycle of moving goods from producer to consumer, corrugated is the most widely used kind of shipping container. Traditionally, corrugated is best known for its structural strength that offers protection to packaged products throughout the transportation cycle. However, it has evolved over the course of time and today it is a much more versatile product.

Architects discovered long ago that an arch with the proper curve is the strongest way to span a given space. Corrugated sheets have evolved with this basic principal in mind. The fluted medium is bonded to the liners with a starch adhesive. Once bonded the combined board resists bending. The flutes provide cushioning when pressure is applied from the sides and when placed on end they form rigid columns capable of supporting a great deal of weight. The most commonly used flutes are C and B flute. Others include A, E, and F flute. Specialty micro-flutes have been recently created to form specialized grades capable of competing in the boxboard market. Generally, larger flutes offer greater vertical compression strength and cushioning.
Smaller flutes offer printability advantages as well as structural advantages for retail packaging.

2. History

In 1856 the first known corrugated material was patented for sweatband lining in top hats. During the following four decades other forms of corrugated material were used as packaging material for glass and other products shipped in wooden crates. Then in 1894 the first corrugated printed box was made. However, by 1900 there was a nationwide network of railroads that made it possible to distribute products throughout the nation. At this point corrugated containers were still not a recognized classification by which to ship goods. The term “contained” meant enclosed on all sides in wood. While corrugated lacked the stacking strength of wood it was more affordable, more readily available, lighter weight, more uniform in quality, and more adaptable to volume packing, sealing, and handling. It also offered cushioning and printability advantages. All of these characteristics were attractive to businessmen at that time who were eager to take advantage of nationwide distribution. The corrugated printed box was initially used for packaging glass and pottery containers. Later, the case enabled fruit and produce to be brought from the farm to the retailer without bruising, improving the return to the producers and opening up export markets.

3. Corrugated Cardboard

Corrugated fiberboard is a paper-based material consisting of a fluted corrugated sheet and one or two flat linerboards. It is widely used in the manufacture of corrugated printed boxes and shipping containers.

The corrugated medium and linerboard are made of containerboard, a paper-like material usually over inches (0.25 mm) thick. Paperboard and corrugated fiberboard are sometimes called cardboard; although cardboard might be any heavy paper-pulp based board.

Containerboard, also referred to as CCM (corrugated case material), is a type of paperboard specially manufactured for the production of corrugated board. The term encompasses both linerboard and corrugating medium (or fluting), the two types of paper that make up corrugated board. Since containerboard is made mainly out of natural unbleached wood fibers it is generally brown, although its shade can vary depending on the type of wood, pulping process, recycling rate and impurities content. For certain corrugated printed boxes that demand good presentation white bleached pulp or coating is used on the top ply of the linerboard that goes outside the corrugated printed box.

4. Types of corrugated board single face sheet

A corrugated medium with a linerboard facing adhered to one side. It can be manufactured in sheets or rolls. Single face is principally used as a wrapping material, and occasionally   for   interior   packing    or    padding. Single Wall Corrugated A corrugated medium with a linerboard facing adhered to both sides. It is also referred to as “Double Face”. This popular and versatile 3-ply construction is converted into a wide variety of containers and packaging components.

• Most popular.

• Wide range of strengths.

Double wall corrugated board

Two corrugated mediums with a linerboard facing adhered between them and to both sides. This 5-ply construction is most applicable for packing heavy items where high rigidity and protection is required.

• Made up of B and C Flutes.
• Extra padding and strength.
• Great for stacking heavy items.

Triple wall corrugated board

Three corrugated mediums and four linerboard facings. This 7-ply construction is used where large container sizes are involved, such as pallet packs.

• Made up of two layers of C Flute and one layer of B Flute.
• Very strong and crush resistant.
• Excellent for storage and transit.

5. Raw Materials

The liners and medium that make up the corrugated sheet are both forms of paperboard. Paperboard is made primarily from cellulose fibers found in wood. The fibers are held together by lignin. Fibers are separated from the wood in one of three ways: mechanical, chemical, & semi chemical. Mechanical involves chipping and grinding the wood into increasingly smaller units. Chemical separation, or pulping, uses sulfite or sulfate to dissolve the lignin. This is also known as the Kraft process. This method produces the highest yields with the least damage to fibers, thus the strongest paper. The semi-chem process combines the mechanical and the chemical methods.

Linerboard is the paperboard used as the inner and outer facings of a corrugated sheet. It is made primarily through the chemical process. It is usually made from softwoods like Pine trees that have the longest fibers and produce the strongest board. Medium is the fluted paperboard that is in between the inner and outer facings. It is produced mainly from hardwoods that have shorter fibers through the semi- chem process.

Linerboard and medium are also made from recycled resources. Lumber byproducts like sawdust and wood chips constitute approximately 10% of the fiber supply. Recycled paper provides approximately 25%. The fibers are separated from wood or recovered through recycling processes and cleaned. Liquid paper then flows onto a moving wire screen. Water drains through the wire until it hits the dry line where a paper mat is formed. The paper is cycled through the paper machine where it is further dried, compressed, and wound into large rolls that are shipped to customers that manufacture corrugated sheets.

6. Corrugated Flutes

The inventors of corrugated board applied the same principles to paper as ancient architects did to buildings. When trying to uphold heavy loads, the most efficient way is by using an arch. Generally the larger flute profiles give greater vertical strength and cushioning. The smaller flutes help enhance graphic capabilities while providing greater structural integrity. By experimenting with flute profiles, designers can vary compression strength, cushioning strength and thickness. Flutes come in several standard sizes such as A, B, C, E, and F. Different flute profiles can be combined in one piece of combined board.

The inventors of corrugated board applied the same principles to paper as ancient architects did to buildings. When trying to uphold heavy loads, the most efficient way is by using an arch. Generally the larger flute profiles give greater vertical strength and cushioning. The smaller flutes help enhance graphic capabilities while providing greater structural integrity. By experimenting with flute profiles, designers can vary compression strength, cushioning strength and thickness. Flutes come in several standard sizes such as A, B, C, E, and F. Different flute profiles can be combined in one piece of combined board.

7. Flute Types

A flute corrugated board

A-Flute, the original flute, is the highest flute size, and therefore, when combined with an inner and outer facing, is the thickest. With 36 flutes to the foot, A-Flute makes the most of corrugated cushioning and stacking properties for fragile and delicate items. Because A-Flute offers excellent stiffness qualities and short column crush resistance, it has application across a broad range of customer uses.

• 36 Flutes / Foot.
• 1/4″.

B flute corrugated board

B-Flute, the second flute size adopted by the corrugated industry, has lower arch heights than A and more flutes per foot (50). This means that the medium contacts and supports the liners at a greater number of points, providing a stiff, flat surface for high quality printing and die cutting and with excellent crush resistant properties. B-Flute is also preferred for high speed, automatic packing lines and for pads, dividers, partitions and other forms of inner packing. Complex die cuts and beverage trays are excellent applications for B-Flute as are can cases, wrap-around blanks, glass-to-glass packs and slipsheets. B-Flute is generally combined with light weight liners but can be used with heavier facings if the need arises.

• 49 Flutes / Foot.
• Good puncture resistance.
• Less space consumed in warehouse.
• Uses: canned goods, displays.

The “Flute” describes the structure of the wave shaped cardboard material that makes up a board’s corrugation. Flutes come in several sizes, known as flute profiles.

Generally, larger flutes provide greater strength and cushioning, while smaller flutes have better printability andfold ability. Flute profiles can be mixed and matched within the same piece of combined board, to manipulate printability, compression strengths, cushioning strengths and the total thickness of the board.

C flute

C-Flute came along next to split the difference between A and B Flutes. With 42 flutes per foot, it’s thinner than A- flute, thicker than B, and offers good cushioning, stacking and printing properties. C-Flute is by far the most widely used flute size. An estimated 80% of today’s corrugated containers are made of C-Flute board.

• 41 Flutes / Foot.
• Good stacking strength.
• Good crushing resistance.
• Very common.
• Uses: glass, furniture, dairy.

E flute

E-Flute has the greatest number of flutes per foot at 94 which gives it the greatest crush resistance and the flattest surface for high quality printing applications. The thin board profile of E-Flute (it is one-fourth the thickness of C- Flute) reduces box size and saves storage space. Because of its thin profile and excellent cushioning properties, E- Flute corrugated box can often substitute for conventional folding cartons or solid fiber containers. Examples of E-Flute applications include boxes for cosmetics, fragile glass and ceramic items and delicate instruments. Another growing end-use is for pizza boxes where the retailer wants a cost effective container with good graphics and excellent product protection.

• 95 Flutes / Foot.
• Light weight.
• Strong alternative to paper board.
• Superior printing surface.
• Excellent for custom die cut boxes.
• Uses: displays, point of purchase boxes.

F flute

F-Flute, the newest flute, is just a little more than half the thickness of E-Flute and is the newest growth segment in the corrugated field. The idea behind the new flute, originally developed in Europe, is to make packages with lower fibre content.

• 128 Flutes / Foot.
• 1/32.

8. Recycling

Recycling is processing used materials (waste) into new products to prevent waste of potentially useful materials, reduce the consumption of fresh raw materials, reduce energy usage, reduce air pollution (from incineration) and water pollution (from land filling) by reducing the need for “conventional” waste disposal, and lower greenhouse gas emissions as compared to virgin production. Recycling is a key component of modern waste reduction and is the third component of the “Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle” waste hierarchy.

Recyclable materials include many kinds of glass, paper, metal, plastic, textiles, and electronics. Although similar in effect, the composting or other reuse of biodegradable waste – such as food or garden waste – is not typically considered recycling. Materials to be recycled are either brought to a collection center or picked up from the curbside, then sorted, cleaned, and reprocessed into new materials bound for manufacturing. Old corrugated containers are an excellent source of fibre for recycling. They can be compressed and baled for cost effective transport. The baled boxes are put in a hydropulper, which is a large vat of warm water for cleaning and processing. The pulp slurry is then used to make new paper and fiber products. Mill and corrugators scrap, or broke, is the cleanest source for recycling. The high rates of post-consumer recycling reflect the efficiency of recycling mills to clean and process the incoming materials. Several technologies are available to sort, screen, filter, and chemically treat the recycled paper. Many extraneous materials are readily removed. Twine, strapping, etc are removed from the hydropulper by a “ragger”. Metal straps and staples can be screened out or removed by a magnet. Film-backed pressure sensitive tape stays intact: the PSA adhesive and the backing are both removed together. Materials which are more difficult to remove include wax coatings on corrugated boxes and “stickies”, soft rubbery particles which can clog the paper maker and contaminate the recycled paper. Stickies can originate from book bindings, hot melt adhesives, PSA adhesives from paper labels, laminating adhesives of reinforced gummed tapes, etc. Corrugated fiberboard shredders are now available which convert post-consumer corrugated board into packing/cushioning materials by means of a specialized shredding process. Recycling corrugated fiberboard helps countries without sustainable wood resources build a paper and packaging industry local.

9. Advantages

The use of corrugated paper packaging made of corrugated cardboard containers, it has many advantages: light weight, structure, good performance. Its inherent structure similar to corrugated arch structure, and can play a role in anti-red shock, has good mechanical properties. Of packaged goods have many good protections. For example, moisture, heat, easy to transport and so on. Transportation costs low and easy to implement packaging and transport mechanization and automation.Changes in specifications and size and easy to implement and can quickly adapt to all kinds of items packaging. Sealing, bundling both convenient and easy automation. Can adapt to all types of cartons decor printing, can be a good solution to the protection and promotion of goods issue.Waste recycling paper boxes easy to meet environmental requirements. Through with a variety of cover material or combination of moisture to expand the scope of its use.

10. Disadvantages

Due to its being readily available, inexpensive and strong relative to its weight, corrugated cardboard is a popular packing material, as well as a popular material for a variety of large-structure arts and crafts products. However, there are times when corrugated cardboard is not the best choice for a project or packing need. Consider some of the disadvantages of this material when you decide if it’s right for your current purposes.

11. Appearance

Corrugated cardboard has an appearance that’s generally less than desirable for craft projects where beauty is a main goal for the finished product. Corrugated cardboard, due to its internal structure, has a rough, ridged appearance over its surface that’s prone to wrinkling and bending. Any structures built from it will have an untidy appearance,

whereas non-corrugated cardboard holds a smooth, neat shape.

STRENGTH

Corrugated cardboard is relatively strong for being so lightweight, but for projects and purposes that need a bit more heft, you may prefer a denser material. Much of the mass of corrugated cardboard is air, due to the shape of the corrugation inside. If placed under much sideways pressure, corrugated cardboard will bend, pucker and crumple.

WATER RESISTANCE

As a packing material, corrugated cardboard provides very little resistance to moisture. When made wet, either from ambient moisture in the environment or from direct contact, corrugated cardboard will soften, eventually becoming pulpy. Corrugated cardboard is also highly absorbent, and will thus readily transfer moisture to its contents.

EDGES

Due to the layered construction of corrugated cardboard, cutting any kind of intricate or curved shape from a sheet of this material is likely to yield untidy-looking results. The corrugated inner layer will often show on the edge of a cut.

FOLDING

It’s difficult to create neat folds in corrugated cardboard. The inner layers will both dictate the shape of the folds (not necessarily in the direction you want) and cause the material to stretch and crumple in unintended (and undesirable) ways.

BULK

While the curvy, air-filled corrugation inside the layers of the cardboard provide excellent cushioning, their bulk makes them inconvenient for many craft projects or structures that might require more detail and finesse in shaping. The thickness of cardboard, relative to the structural strength it provides, is sometimes a disappointment for such designs.

CUTTING

When cutting a piece of corrugated cardboard into a certain shape, it can be difficult to get the angle just right so as to make a clean cut through both the two outer layers and the inner corrugated layer. Without an even cut with a blade positioned at a consistent 90-degree angle to the cardboard, the cut will angle, making the two sides different sizes.

12. ConcJaneon

The main of this paper to provide information regarding corrugated cardboard such as sheet, flute, weight, appearance etc. This will help for analyzing the corrugated cardboard with different and environment condition. And then complete analysis will help in the development of corrugated cardboard structure.

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8. P. Isaksson, P. Gradin “Shear buckling in the core of a corrugated board structure” Composite Structures 88 (2009) 610–614.
9. Y.S. Tian, T.J. Lu “Optimal design of compression corrugated panels” Thin-Walled Structures 43 (2005) 477–498.
10. G. Pitarresi, J.J. Carruthers, A.M. Robinson, G. Torre, J.M. Kenny, S. Ingleton, O. Velecela, M.S. Found “A comparative evaluation of crashworthycomposite sandwich structures” Composite Structures 78 (2007) 34–44.
11. Sai Sudha Ramesh, C.M. Wang, J.N. Reddy, K.K. Ang “A higher-order plate element for accurate prediction of interlaminar stresses in laminated composite plates” Composite Structures 91 (2009) 337–357.
12. G. Kress, M. Winkler “Corrugated laminate homogenization model” Composite Structures 92 (2010) 795–810.
13. Jack Reany, Joachim L. Grenestedt “Corrugated skin in a foam core sandwich panel” Composite Structures 89 (2009) 345–355.
14. M. Winkler, G. Kress “Deformation limits for corrugated cross-ply laminates” Composite Structures 92 (2010) 1458–1468.
15. Y. Wang, J. Weissmüller, H.L. Duan “Mechanics of corrugated surfaces” Journal of the Mechanics and Physics of Solids accepted date 12 July 2010.

Corrugated printed boxes are common and can be seen everywhere, therefore, people are easy to take them for granted. We are so used to pack everyday supplies inside them for storage and shipment, that we barely give a second thought to its significance.

Functions of Corrugated Printed Boxes

They are simple and ordinary indeed. But they are extremely important, far more than an ordinary printed paper box. Below are some of the reasons they are so popular.

It Protects

Corrugated printed boxes have the combination of excellent structural rigidity and great cushioning qualities. They can effectively protect the heavy or fragile items, products, objects and supplies from damage in the supply chain.

• Excellent stacking strength makes the custom printed corrugated box anti-crush, protecting the items inside during the storage and shipment.

• The box cushions products against the blow, impact, crash and collision throughout the supply chain

• Highly customizable, the corrugated boxes can be die-cut to any size

The product has to arrive at the grocery store in good condition before it grabs the consumer’s attention. Corrugated printed box provides great structural rigidity together with cushioning properties. It can protect the contents very well from damage in the supply chain.

Fluting Paper Plays the Role

One of the reasons it works so well is attributed to its basic construction. The corrugated cardboard consists of 3 layers, in the middle of which is a fluted corrugated sheet to absorb impact and shock.

The fluting paper has many arches, which explain the great strength of the corrugated printed box. The same principle is used in the arch bridges.

An arch is a pure compression form.^[4][5][6][7] It can span a large area by resolving forces into compressive stresses, and thereby eliminating tensile stresses. This is sometimes denominated “arch action”.^[8] As the forces in the arch are transferred to its base, the arch pushes outward at its base, denominated “thrust”. As the rise, i. e. height, of the arch decreases the outward thrust increases.^[9] In order to preserve arch action and prevent collapse of the arch, the thrust must be restrained, either by internal ties or external bracing, such as abutments.^[10]

Citation: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arch

The tens of hundreds of arches in the medium fluting paper enable the corrugated printed box to resist bending and pressure from all directions. It plays a key role in the protective qualities of the corrugated packaging box.

The arch flutes form rigid columns to support a lot of weight while cushioning the items inside. The fluting paper also act as insulators, providing some extra protection from sudden temperature changes.

Combining high-tech engineering and the versatility to custom-design every package for its particular contents and shipping requirements, corrugated’s cushioning quality is matched by its stacking strength, preventing damage in transit. — Fiber Box Association.

It Transports

Corrugated printed boxes are lightweight and clean, compared with the wooden containers or plastic containers. It can significantly reduce the shipping costs and storage costs with fewer trucks, less fuel and lower emissions.

• The corrugated box improves efficiency and lowers shipping & handling costs.

• The printed corrugated box has the custom size to fit the pallets and truck container.

• It is light weight and clean to avoid the bacteria and insects contamination.

A great number of scientific researches have shown that corrugated printed boxes make the most efficient use of space in the truck container. Thus, the shipping cost is greatly reduced when more products can be loaded into the same truck.

Because the corrugated board can be cut and creased easily, the corrugated printed box can be die-cut to any size to suit the content products. It reduces the wasted space and decreases the need for void fill materials (such as bubble bags, plastic foams, etc.).

It Promotes and Markets

Corrugated printed box has beautifully printed graphics and texts printed on the surface. It is a silent marketing manager for the product brand awareness. It finally promotes the sales of the company and realizes the profit target of the company.

* Corrugated printed box is a silent marketing man of your product and brand.

* Corrugated box is printed with vivid images and clear texts to convey information of your product.

* Corrugated printed box promotes the sales of your product.

Engineers have made great progress in the corrugated printed box manufacturing, printing and packaging. The rapid development of the silk screen printing, flexo printing and offset printing enables the package to play an important role in the company marketing decisions.

The corrugated box can be printed inside and outside to be very beautiful. It can also be a lift off lid rigid paper box for the gift packaging. It can effectively promote the sales of the company.

Corrugated Printed Box Is Green Packaging

Corrugated printed box is completely recyclable because it is made of the paper pulp from trees and grasses. It is green packaging.

• The corrugated printed box is made from paper pulps, which is a renewable resource from trees.

• The used corrugated printed box is easily recycled to paper pulps to make new paperboard and printed paper boxes.

Old corrugated printed boxes are a perfect source of fiber for recycling. The recycled corrugated board can be compressed and baled for cost-effective transportation. The used corrugated boxes are put in a hydro-pulper, which is a large vat of hot water for cleaning and processing. The pulp slurry is then used to make new paperboard and corrugated printed boxes.

References

1. ^ What is Corrugated?, Fibre Box Association, 2019, retrieved 4 July 2019
2. ^ Diana Twede and Susan E. M. Selke (2005). Cartons, crates and corrugated board: handbook of paper and wood packaging technology. DEStech Publications. pp. 41–42, 55–56. ISBN 978-1-932078-42-8.
3. ^ Stern, R. K.; Jordan, C.A. (1973). “Shock cushioning by corrugated fiberboard pads to centrally applied loading”(PDF). Forest Products Laboratory Research Paper, FPL-RP-184. Retrieved 12 December 2011.
4. ^ Foster, G. (1997). “Boxes, Corrugated”. In Brody, A.; Marsh, K. (eds.). The Wiley Encyclopedia of Packaging Technology(2nd ed.). New York: John Wiley & Sons. ISBN 0-471-06397-5.
5. ^ Brooks, Brandon (2 February 2012). “Do you still need a boxmaker’s certificate on a box?”. On Demand Packaging Blog. Retrieved 8 December 2013.
6. ^ Jensen, Timothy (April 1999). “Packaging Tapes: To Recycle of Not”. Adhesives and Sealants Council. Archived from the original on 9 November 2007. Retrieved 6 November 2007.
7. ^ “Recycling Compatible Adhesives Standards”. Tag and Label Manufacturers Institute. 2007. Archived from the original on 9 November 2007. Retrieved 6 November 2007.
8. ^ “Voluntary Standard for Repulping and Recycling Corrugated Fiberboard” (PDF). Corrugated Packaging Alliance. 2005. Archived from the original (PDF) on 3 December 2007. Retrieved 6 November 2007.

The Internet is very exciting, full of resources and tutorials on packaging design, attracting people who are interested. However, sometimes, too many choices can make people feel confused. Therefore, we have carefully selected the world’s top 12 packaging design resource websites to help you get inspiration and creativity.

01. The Dieline

The Dieline presents you the world’s best packaging design works.

If you are looking for packaging design information and seeking inspiration is your goal, Dieline is an excellent starting point. Founded in 2007, this website is dedicated to redefining and promoting the world’s best packaging design works. The Dieline website has an incredibly simple navigation design and a detailed packaging catalog. It is an inspirational design library, and its works come from different companies.

02. Packaging of the World

World Packaging chooses creative designs from hundreds of thousands of packaging design works to inspire your inspiration.

World Packaging can be called a gallery of creative design, displaying the most creative and attractive works in the world. The website has a very good organizational structure. You can search for design solutions based on category, country, student work, popular, etc., which caters to everyone who is interested in packaging design. This is a very good, very eye-catching packaging design resource website.

03. Lovely Package

Cute packaging brings together the world’s best packaging design works.

If you can’t resist the charm of cute packaging like me, then you must read this cool blog site carefully. From wine and beer bottles to toothpaste and kitchen utensils, cute packaging shows some of the top design works in the packaging field. Whether you are a professional packaging designer or a student studying packaging design at school, you can browse their works here. With more than 300 packaging design pages, you can definitely find your own inspiration here.

04. Package Design Magzine

Are you still concerned about not finding relevant information about packaging design?

With nearly 10 years of operation, Packaging Design Magazine is an excellent place to check packaging design information. This website collects excellent packaging design works from all over the world, pays close attention to and reports on industry trends, news and development trends, rookies in design, and so on. Here is everything about packaging design, it can be said to have everything.

05. Pinterest

There are thousands of pictures to browse, and you can definitely find your own packaging design inspiration on Pinterest.

Hundreds of thousands of creative images are archived, and we have to list Pinterest among them. As long as you gently enter “package design” in the search box, you will be silently waiting for countless excellent works to appear before your eyes. As a popular theme on social networking sites, when you scroll down the webpage, you will find that it is like an endless page, full of endless packaging design works and solutions.

06.  Packaging design archive

Every packaging design project you might think of is archived in the packaging design archive.

If you are looking for packaging design inspiration, then go straight to the packaging design archives! The packaging classification here is extremely broad, covering every design scheme you may think of, and the resources are very rich. Each packaging design plan will be assigned to a reasonable category, and there is a very convenient search toolbar next to the category. You can find the design plan information you need by entering fonts, graphics, etc.

07. Packaging Design Served

Check out the incredible and surprising packaging design works on Packaging Design Served. It is a branch of Behance, it is quite distinctive in label design and advertising, and its works are of top level. From shoes, pharmaceutical packaging to alcohol, electronic product packaging, no matter what the product, you can find pages of works created by artists of different levels here.

08. Design Home

Enter the design house, under the packaging design category, you can find a large number of excellent works at home and abroad. It provides packaging design inspirations and insights to the China paper box suppliers.

Design House is a professional design and material sharing portal in China. The content covers graphic design, industrial design, web design, CG, design tutorials, environmental art design, art, materials, etc. Since its establishment in 2006, it has been committed to spreading advanced design concepts and promoting the development of original design. It has a large number of original and first-hand foreign excellent design resources, and has received extensive attention from designers.

09. Ambalaj

Take a closer look at designer Kevintina de Verdier’s blog, and believe that her packaging design work cases will definitely spark your creative inspiration.

Ambalaj is actually a personal website of packaging designer Kevintina de Verdier. However, if you want to inquire about some inspiring works, then her blog must not be missed. Here Verdier carefully selected the latest excellent works from all over the world, and vividly described these works on the website as “new materials, sustainable information, packaging structure, graphic design and beautiful brand story”.

10. Behance

Behance is a member of the prestigious Adobe family, which brings together the world’s best packaging design works, as stated in the official website information description, “Showcase and discover the latest work from top online portfolios by creative professionals across industries”.

11. 3visual

As the name says, 3 visual packaging design works have a strong visual impact and are an excellent place to get creative inspiration.

Founded in 2005, Sanvision is a public welfare design media that aims to spread design ideas, stimulate design inspiration, and improve the aesthetic awareness of the public. It has been well received by netizens for many years.

12. The Packaging Design Blog

This blog can help you find a large number of packaging design works, so that your inspiration can burst.

The website is worthy of the name. Many packaging design works from all over the world have been published on the blog. Here you can also find a complete list of industry experts, tutorials and articles. For those looking for packaging design inspiration and creativity, here is a great resource library.

More resources：

1. 50 Insanely Creative and Stunning Packaging Designs

Want to know the secret to make your product stand out?

This packaging design blog post published by Jacqueline Thomas lists 50 outstanding packaging design cases with extraordinary creativity and crazy dazzling. You can learn skills, absorb inspiration, and create eye-catching packaging designs.

China BBP Co., Ltd is an export-oriented custom paper box manufacturer located in Xiamen of China. The company supplies the various printed paper boxes, corrugated printed boxes, rigid paper boxes and custom luxury paper bags.

For example, we use the offset printing to have an accurate reproduction of the complex images. And we use the rotogravure printing to finish the pantone color printing of the large areas. After that, we use the silk screen printing, embossing or debossing for the surface finish. The digital printing is used for the counterfeiting purpose.

In order to achieve the best visual effect, the printing and packaging company develops UV printing, foil stamping, matte laminating, varnishing, embossing and debossing are widely used.

Gold and Silver Foil Stamping

The metallic effect is transferred to the cosmetic paper box when the foil paper is pressed under the heat and pressure. The foil stamping has a luxury metallic visual effect, which can cover the printing inks quite well.  It is quite cost effective.

The image or pattern of the gold foil stamping is clear, pretty and has the vivid colors. It is widely used for the brand name and logo.

Silk Screen Printing

The silk screen printing is a special kind of stencil printing. The inks come through the tiny small holes on the plate under pressure, then the image is accurately reproduced on the cosmetic packaging box.  This printing method leaves a thick ink layer on the printed paper box surface. It gives a very quality feel.

The application is not limited by the paperboard size and shape. The plate making is very cheap and convenient.  The image has a strong 3D visual effect due to the thick ink layer on the custom paper box.

The frosting effect, ice crystal effect and wrinkle effect can greatly increase the consumer’s buying desire.

Offset Printing

The offset printing is the most common method used for the cosmetic paper boxes and gift boxes. The color is vivid and rich.  It is very easy to tell the difference between the offset printing and the silk screen. The ink layer of the offset printing is very thin, while the silk screen printing has a quite thick image pattern.

Embossing and Relief Effect

With a positive die and a negative die, a 3D relief effect is created on the surface of the paperboard. The embossing finish gives the cosmetic packaging a strong quality feel. The strong 3D effect of the image leaves an unforgettable impression in the consumer’s mind. Therefore, it is widely used by all kinds of perfume packaging and beauty product packaging.

However, the metal plate is quite expensive. And it is rarely used on the cheap corrugated printed boxes.

As A Good China packaging box manufacturer, China BBP Co., Ltd provide the high quality cosmetic packaging with the various printing methods and finish.

By reference: http://jamiewindsor.com

You’re looking to improve your photography. And you are rightfully told that composition is the key to a great photo.You proceed to read up on compositional rules, and you realize there’s a lot to learn.

The rule of thirds seems quite simple. But for the golden spiral, you’re not entirely sure how to use that. In the structure design of the gift paper boxes or rigid paper boxes, the golden ratio is widely used for the length and width of the cardboard paper box.

And then there’s a grid that looks a bit like the third grid, but it’s slightly different. People call it the Phi grid, which got something to do with the Fibonacci sequence. But you’re not quite sure.

Leading lines seem quite simple, but then there are leading lines that aren’t straight. And then dynamic symmetry. And you are told about some math you don’t quite understand. You not quite sure how to use the baroque diagonal and the reciprocal lines. It all looks very complex and confusing.

You decide maybe it’s best to look at those photos that inspired you to take up photography in the first place and see how these rules apply to them. You examine bodies of work, taken by a variety of well respected photographers. You also look at contemporary photographic journals. You look at short lists for prestigious photographic awards, but you rarely find any examples that fit with these rules. In fact, most of these images almost seemed to read like like a case study of what not to do. By this point, you’re confused and you’re overwhelmed, and you really don’t know where to start. Maybe you should just go to buy a new lens and see if that helps you take better photos.

The problem is that the composition is a massive subject. Learning all the grid systems and ratios is only one tool in your visual tool box. For now, let me give you eight simple tips that will hopefully get you started on improving your composition.

1. Get your position right.

Every representational photograph has two key factors, firstly the position of your subject and secondly the position of the photographer. Changing either one of these can change how your shot feels, what it means, what story it tells. That may sound simple and obvious, but a lot of people really do fail to take the same shot from different positions.

Don’t always default to shooting at eye level. It’s how we see the world every day and there’s nothing wrong with that. But it’s not always the most interesting angle. Once you’ve composed your shot, stop, evaluate everything in your frame. Is everything exactly where you wanted to be? Are there any elemental areas that shouldn’t be there? If not, change it.

Now, this may mean just taking a side step to the left or to the right. It may mean climbing up something to get a higher vantage point. It may be crossing the street. Be vigilant and rigorous with yourself. A small bit of effort here can mean the difference between a mediocre shot and an absolute masterpiece.

Remember to shoot portrait aspect ratio as well, because portrait aspect ratio draws attention to objects in the foreground. And use landscape format for more natural field as we often use our eyes this way unless we’re looking at something too.

Take multiple shots in a variety of different ways, push yourself out of your comfort zone a bit. It’s all about finding that position where all the elements in your shot work together to create the feeling you are aiming for.

2. Use your phone.

Most of us have a camera phone these days, and one of the biggest hurdles you have to overcome when learning how to compose and visualize an image is being able to translate what we see moving in 3D without these borders into a still flat, two-dimensional image.

Because we have two eyes, we see three dimensional, we have a greater perception of depth than a photograph can communicate. Our brains can easily filter out distracting background elements because we can see them as further away. But when you flatten that down to a 2D image, those distracting background elements can become much more prominent and take away from what you want the viewer to look at your photograph. Using your phone screen to compose an image can be really helpful.

I often set my phone to black and white. This way I can see the world framed. And in 2D I can see how colors translate into tone. I can also tap different areas of the screen to see how the image would look if exposed for the highlights for the shadows, this isn’t cheating. It’s using tools at our disposal to help us get the best shot possible.

Think of this more like an exercise in learning. The more we practice shooting like this, the more we will start to naturally translate what we see into a 2D composition. It’s a great learning tool if you want to improve your ability to naturally visualize a photo in your minds eye.

3. Beware the rule of thirds.

If you look up any tutorials articles, tips on photographic composition, you will likely be met with the rule of thirds right the top of the list.

Now the rule of thirds is a great little shorthand to start you thinking about composition. But just because you place the subject to one of those intersection points of the grid, this won’t guarantee you a balanced composition. You must think about your shot as a whole. One thing I see a lot when the rule of thirds is used is too much empty space on one side of the image. They can lead to the image feeling unbalanced. And there’s also more to balancing your shot than where you place elements in the frame. Tone, color, and contrast also all have weight. Darkness feels heavier than light. Saturated color feels heavier than pale hues.

Areas of extreme contrast draw the eye. When composing a shot as well as lining things up mathematically, look for where the areas of contrast are, look where the dark tones are, consider how your image feels as a whole. Does it feel like it’s tipping too much to the left or to the right? Consider compositional rules when finding the perfect place to take a shot from, but don’t go against your gut feeling. If something feels right in a certain place, but doesn’t immediately make sense to you, then just go for it. There’s probably a reason it works that you’re not yet aware of. Compositional rules are like a scientific formula. You can use them in art. But first, you must know why. If you want your image to look classical, use a classical compositional technique like dynamic symmetry. But you don’t need to use these all the time. Learn them, but be mindful about when you use them. Don’t fall back on them, just because them. Think firstly about what you were saying before you decide how to say it.

4. Squint or blur your eyes

whenever you go set up a shot, squint or blur your eyes, this will help you see abstract color and shape and form.

We are so used as human beings to reading the world around us, that sometimes it’s very difficult to take that step backwards and look at it in a more abstract way. But squinting or blowing your eyes will help you see where the contrast areas are. It helps you see the more saturated in the light areas are.

And this can really help guide you in setting up a nicely balanced shot,

5. Think conceptually as well as aesthetically

Why are you shooting what you’re shooting? What do you want your viewers to think when they see your shot? What do you want your audience to feel?

Everything about the way you compose an image will tell part of a story. For example, the angle you shoot from can change how a subject is represented.

Being up high looking down can detach the viewer emotionally. It becomes more of an overview short. Very matter of fact, it is a slightly godlike position.

Looking down on the world below, the viewer is a privileged observer and not part of the scene.

But if you shoot from ground level, you’re part of the scene. And by extension, anyone viewing the shot?

A low shot looking up at subjects can give that subject a sense of dominance and power.

Cropping in close to someone’s face can make a shot more intimate and more claustrophobic.

Having a subject surrounded by a lot of space can make them more vulnerable and more defined by their environment.

Sometimes moving further away or using a wide lens can add some wider story to your shot.

Decide whether context is important. Are you making social or political commentary about the subject you are shooting? You might want to consider showing something in relation to its surroundings.

But when making your subject smaller in the frame, be careful. As your subject should probably still be the focal point of your image, you can achieve this by using light, contrast, color, leading lines, or any of the other trident tested techniques to draw the viewer’s to your subject. Maybe employing those mathematical compositional rules will make your image feel perfectly balanced.

But what if you don’t want it for perfectly balanced? What if you want your view to feel uneasy because of the subject matter of the photograph? Always consider what you want your image to say before you decide how to say it.

6. Keep it simple

In slight contrast to my previous point about showing wider context. A really common compositional mistake is that people include too much irrelevant detail in the frame. Everything in the frame should be relevant. It should be part of the story. If it’s not, get rid of it. Look for simplified backgrounds, for fewer distracting elements, try making your subject fill the frame. The act of composing a shot is in itself a form of editing. Your audience won’t know what they can’t see. Throwing stuff away can be difficult, but it can also be very liberating.

7. Watch the edges

Pay particular attention to the borders of your frame. Try not to cut off people’s elbows or the top of someone’s hair, or the top of trees or buildings or whatever is your photographing.

Distracting elements of the edge of the frame can draw the viewer’s eye away from your point of focus. So,  try and keep them clean.

8. Work in post

Don’t be afraid to work in post-production to get that perfect composition. You can crop. You can relevel your image. It’s better to do it in camera, but you have quite a lot of options in post-production. Taking time to compose a shot is important, but so is not missing the moment. The more you crop in post, the best you will become a judging composition in camera. Try testing a shot by flipping the image into a mirrored view, try inverting the colors, and try turning upside down. Does it still feel balanced?

A while cropping in post is great. Also, don’t be afraid to Photoshop our elements that are making your shot unbalanced or creating tension by being tune in the edge. If there’s something brightly colored in the background that’s drawing your eye from the subject, change its color, desaturate it or simply clone it out. That’s why the clone stamp is there.

Steve McCurry does this all the time. You could argue its cheating, and by all means, follow your own set of ethics and values. But be aware that you’re making things harder for yourself. It’s up to you.

But the key thing here is practice. There are so many compositional rules that you can’t possibly consciously think about every single one every time you take any photograph. But do take time to learn them. Do take time to practice them. Learn one at a time, go out and try practicing that particular one. And eventually, you’ll absorb them all. And they will become kind of a natural part of your intuitive visual understanding.

China BBP Co., Ltd is a leading China paper box supplier and manufacturer. If you need a printed paper box, corrugated printed box, gift paper box. rigid paper box or any other custom paper boxes, please do not hesitate to send an email.

Imagine when you buy a story book, you open it only to realize that the pages were out of order. The text was hard to read, and the story rambled on with no sense. That’s exactly the same as a badly composed photograph.

Composition, what does it exactly mean in graphic design?

Composition is about arranging elements in a scene in a pleasing and easy-to-read manner. When done correctly, it guides the viewer to what’s important and is overall resulting in a more pleasing and aesthetic looking image.

In fact, composition is one of the most important things that you could learn as a CG artist. A lot of people is talking about, but almost none explains it clearly, which is why I’m writing this post.

A CG Artists Guide To Understanding Composition

By the end of this post, you will have learned how to correctly position the elements of your scene to make an image that’s visually attractive and wows your audience.

Composition can best be broken down into three stages, which will address throughout this post.

• The focal element
• The structure
• Last, the balance.

The Focal Elements

Let’s start with the first one, the focal element.

The focal element is something that the viewer is drawn to immediately upon seeing the image. When an image is badly composed, generally, the biggest culprit is the lack of a focal element. Or there is too many focal elements. Focal elements are so vital to a scene because without it, the view is left bouncing around the image, wondering what on earth the whole point is.

An example of no focal point

This is an image I made here a few years ago. Look at this and you go, great, a brick wall. Thrilling, now what? What are we supposed to focus? On the door? Is that what’s interesting? That’s the only thing that stands out here. There’s nothing here, nothing. It’s just a brick wall. You end up reaching for that close button as quickly as you can, because it’s a waste of time. There’s nothing here other than it’s a brick wall.

I put all my time into texturing, lighting, getting the perspective. And all that stuff was a complete waste of time, because I didn’t bother to put a focal element in. This image is likely to get closed within seconds by the majority of people that have a look at it.

On the other hand, if you had like a little guy standing here with arms folded and little hoodie on in the background, that would be a focal element. That will be something that would get your attention. But as it is, there’s nothing there. So it’s just bland and boring.

In a more direct example, let’s have a look at four chairs. Now I will have no idea which chair you’re looking at right now, because they’re all exactly identical. There’s no reason you should focus on any particular one. An image like this is likely to get rejected by your brain, because there’s no point to it. So you just turn your head away. However, if you had to make something that stands out, it completely changes the dynamic of the scene. This is just a really simple example of adding saturation to it. But this is really what it’s all about in your scene. It is making something which stands out from the rest of the scene. It’s so important. If you don’t have it, it’s just a complete failure. So this is saturation, but there’s a variety of other ways.

When contrast is used incorrectly

I’ll give you one more example here. And that is contrast. And this is one you see a lot, particularly used incorrectly.

This is what you have to be wary of because high contrast, basically white and black, sitting next to each other is really like a magnet for your eye. You just look at it, right? You have to be wary of it because if you have an interior shot of a lounge room, and then you have a window at the end of the scene with bright white light coming in. The window is got the most contrast in the entire scene. So your eyes are gonna be drawn to the window, when an actual fact is that you want people to look at the couch. So you have to be wary of contrast, which is incorrectly using a scene, because that can become the focal element, even though you didn’t want it to.

Top 5 Focal Elements

There’ are a few natural focal elements.

1. High contrast
2. Saturation.
3. Camera focus, which is whatever the camera is focused on the rest of its blurry.
4. If the rest of the scene is static and then you’ve got something which is leaping through it, that’s definitely going to bring some attention.
5. Faces or figures. Human figures or a human face, your attention is going to be drawn to that.

Three Important Focal Element Factors

You can actually add focal element factors to a scene to draw focus to it, such as:

1. Guiding lines,
2. Framing, such as a vignette or a natural frame
3. Shapes are like rectangles, triangles, circles, things like that. Your eyes are drawn to geometric shapes as well.

Let’s look at a few examples in detail.

Example 1: A Great Example of Focal Element Done Well

This one here is a great example of a focal element done well. Your eye is drawn to her face, not only because it’s a face. Humans are good at recognizing and automatically focusing on faces. But there’s also some really subliminal methods used here to make sure your attention is focused on the face.

Moreover, the lips of her are red. That’s the only place that red is used in the entire image. That’s saturation. You’ve also got heavy contrast against her cheek there, against the dark backgrounds. You’ve got extra lighting, making sure the focuses on there.

And something which you might not have noticed is subliminal guiding lines. This is something that photographers look for a lot. But as CG artists, we have ultimate control. We should be making use of this more. It’s essentially lines, curves, shapes. But that basically has a line to it, that subliminally directs your eye to something that you are trying to direct the view. In this case, this artist has used this flowing floral, sort of circle around to subtly guide your attention to her face. The guiding line is very clever, really well used. And as you can see, it’s pull off nicely.

Example 2: Another Example

Another example here. I would say on a limb that your attention is focused on this guy right here. So there are a number of things here, which are guiding you to him.

1. The first is high contrast. He is a silhouette. He’s black against white.

2. Second, he’s a figure. Humans very good at identifying other figures. He’s that’s another reason your eyes drawn to him.

3. Third, it is these guiding lines, which you might not have noticed, but the spotlights are all pointing down, making sure your focus is on that guy there.

4. Forth, as well as that, you’ve also got the motion of him. He’s jumping out of the rest of the scene, everything else is stationary, except for him.

5. Fifth, you’ve also got some framing such as the vignette around the edge there, which is making sure your attention is brought.

Example 3:

This one I love, there’s so many elements here at play, making sure that your focus is on that house at the end there.

The biggest focal element is the road, which are super easy and really effective at guiding your attention. It’s a guiding line, essentially. So roads, pathways, rivers, things like that are all guiding lines. And having this road leads directly up to the house at this end. It is a perfect way to make sure everybody’s attention stays there, but not just that.

It’s also using symmetry. It’s mirrored basically on both sides, making sure that essentially with cemetery your eyes and then drawn to the center of the mirror, which in this case is the house which is great. It’s also making use of repetition. All of those trees there, that rhythm of the trees access a guiding line. It’s also visually pleasing having repetition in there. As well as that, you’ve also got a really strong use of framing, which is the trees around the outside. It directs you pretty much to the only area of contrast in the whole scene, which is the house itself.

So it’s specifically, the top of the house, you’ve got heavy contrast against the sky. You’ve also got geometric shapes, which I mentioned before, squares, rectangle, as well as the triangle. The only place in the same way you’ll see geometric shapes and the camera focus as well. So lots of elements there making sure the focus is kept on the house, really, really clever.

Example 4: A bad image with 2 focal points

Here is an example of a focal element done badly. This is a great example of why it doesn’t work, because you’ve essentially now got two elements, which are fighting for your attention at the same time.

We’ve got this spaceship here, which is zooming towards the camera. And there’s been a motion there. Bright contrast, everything like that. But as well as that, you’ve got the earth, which is completely in focus. It’s heavily saturated. It’s got a lot of contrast you to the texture, and it’s familiar to us. Therefore, we’re drawn to that as well. Now there are two elements equally important, both fighting for your attention. It’s irritating to look at an image like this, just isn’t pleasing. It’s just not fun. This is an example of how it can fail. Therefore,  make sure you have just one focal element. And that will result in a much more visually pleasing image.

Structure

Moving on, let’s talk about the second stage for composition, which is the structure. And this is what most people think of when they think of composition. Structure is essentially the organization of the elements in the scene based on a rule.

The rule of thirds is one everybody knows. That’s an example of structure. But I want to stress the point that it doesn’t matter what structure you use, any structure is better than none at all.

For example, let’s have a look at this just random bunch of chairs in no particular order. It’s very displeasing. Your mind basically rejects it immediately, because you’re not sure what to focus on this. There’s no clear indicators as to what the point of the images, just a bunch of random chairs. It’s just irritating, right?

On the other hand, let’s look at this. Now this doesn’t fit into any one of good photography principles, but you’ll agree that it’s much more pleasing. Then this is anarchy, chaos. There’s no order. There is order in this one.

Let’s have some other examples. This is just random, but it’s better than nothing, as opposed to the randomness. So anything will work better than just having a random looking scene.

That’s what I wanted to stress here.

Let’s talk about the common structures in the photography books.

1. Rule of thirds,
2. Golden ratio,
3. Pyramid,
4. Symmetry
5. Full frame.

Then let’s go over these in detail.

Rule of thirds

The first one is rule of thirds. Essentially, it’s cutting the image into thirds, only horizontal and the vertical axis. And then where those lines intersect, there are 4 points of intersection. You can see here with these circles. You essentially place something of importance there. So if you’ve got a character, you place their face right there. And often it’s good to counter that.

If you’ve got a face that’s drawn here, you obviously want to counter it by having something on the opposing. This is the rule of thirds. And it works really well. It’s essentially a simplification of the golden ratio, which is a little bit more complex. But it works really well. It’s used a lot in movies and tv shows. And it’s just great if you have a character and you want to show the rest of the same.

Here’s some examples. You can see with the rule of thirds overlay here. You can see perfectly lining up. You’ve got the explosion point almost exactly on that intersection there.

The good thing about having rule of thirds for this kind of shot is that you’re now able to see the rest of the scene. It’s not just an explosion by itself. It’s a city surrounding it. It is a whole. You can add the rest of the story to it. And it works well for this type of thing.

Another one right here, add the rule of thirds over to that. And you can see the cat’s face there. The main character, the main point of focus for the scene, is almost lining up with that intersection there. Now it’s not lining up exactly, but it’s close. That’s the thing. You don’t need to become a slave and make sure everything’s perfectly lined up like in the bridge of the nose. That will help, I guess. But it’s not essential. It’s just enough to have it near it and get sort of the basic, broad strokes of the scene.

You can see what’s more important is you’ve got the cat there, but you’ve also got this really high element of visual interest, which is the meal, the seafood itself. So it works really, really well.

Here’s an example of some photography by the US army. And I’m almost certain this was cropped deliberately. It lines up beautifully with the rule of thirds. As you can see, it’s just a visually pleasing image.

The rule of thirds is also used a lot in movies and tv shows because it’s perfect for characters. It allows you to see not only the characters relation to the environment around them, but also are great for dialogue because it allows the two characters to face each other or face off camera. I have a discussion. It’s just a really powerful technique in keeping an aesthetic shot whilst also are continuing to tell the story.

Golden Ratio

Next up, let’s talk about the golden ratio. Everybody has heard of the golden ratio, but almost nobody knows what it’s for. There’s a whole bunch of myths about it. It’s just naturally going to make things look amazing. Essentially, the story behind the golden ratio is everywhere in nature. You will find instances of the golden ratio being present, such as in seashells, you’ll find it in nature like plants and flowers and things like that, as well as the other gravity around planets. It’s very interesting. A lot of people come up to theories as to why this exact ratio works in the real world. It’s just there.

Because of that, some designers have taken that design theory and influence their designs because of it. The iPod made use of it, and famously the actual violin was designed because of it.

Essentially, it does work, and it has been proven through a lot of designs to work well.

Here are some examples. This beautiful image here is by James Gardner. It is pretty much lining up exactly with the golden spiral, the golden ratio. How do you want to call it? I’m almost certain that was not an accident. Now this could have been done with the rule of thirds and it probably would have looked just as nicely. But it’s using the golden ratio and it has a really striking result. You can see the other jellyfish sort of wrap around the spiral as well. It’s a great result.

Here’s another example here. At first, I thought this one was using the rule of thirds. But put the golden ratio over, you can see that it lines up pretty much spot on with that. So the main focal point is that jet, which is flying out from the camera. And you can see that towards the top here, specifically where this building is, you can see these wraps around almost exactly with that spiral there, which leads me to believe that this was fairly deliberate. And it creates a very nice pleasing looking image.

That’s essentially the golden ratio, but I do want to stress. Don’t think that implementing the golden ratio thinking will make your image look amazing instantly, because there are countless designs using the golden ratio, which is just looking terrible. Therefore, it’s just not an indoor bill, but if your design allows for something like that and you think it could work, give it a try and it might look pleasing. But anyways, it’s a structure. One of many that you can use.

Pyramid Composition

Another one is the pyramid composition. This is one that few people talk about, but it’s very effective, especially for things like characters. It allows you essentially to create a striking figure.

So it’s used a lot for characters. And like in comic books, you have superman standing above the camera and it is getting small towards the top. Maybe it looks like a towering looking appearance. So it works really well for single subjects such as characters. But it also works well in wider scenes as well. It’s a little bit more difficult. It can come across there as well.

Symmetry

Another one we’ll talk about is symmetry. This is mirroring something along the horizontal or vertical axis. It is very simple, easy to come across. You’ll see this a lot in architecture, particularly for buildings, such as mosques, churches, and government buildings, because having symmetry results in a powerful and important building look. So that’s what symmetry does. And that’s why it’s used so much for churches, mosques, and parliament buildings.

That’s an example here. The Taj Mahal obviously mirrored along the left and right. And then we’ve got one here going vertically. So this works really well for reflections. And it creates a really striking pleasing looking image.

Full Frame

Finally, the last one is full frame. This one is so basic. You almost don’t need an explanation for it. You have a single subject, just zoom in right on that subject. You can leave a little space around it, or you can just have it. Zoomed in like that’s called full frame, no other competition element, because it’s just one thing. You don’t need to confuse things by putting rule of thirds or in that stuff in there, just full frame. That’s it. That is structure.

Balance

Last of all, we’ll talk about the balance. It is all about ensuring that the visual weight of the image is evenly displaced, making sure that you don’t have something that so heavy on the left hand side or up top or whatever.

As an example, this is a very unbalanced scene.

We’ve got this very dark contrasted chair on the right-hand side there, and nothing on the left-hand side. If this image had weight to it and it was sitting on a scale, it’ll be leaning to the right-hand side. It works as if the real weight is involved. If you can imagine there’s a line down the center here, it’s essentially like that becomes the fulcrum. So you need to have something to balance that out. And the smaller it is than the further you pull it out, too.

But in any case, we’ve now just got one giant object here on the right hand side, way too heavy and nothing on the left hand side. So you wouldn’t wanna have this sort of orientation in your image. But if you did, you need to balance it by putting something like a little chair on the left hand side there. And now that becomes a balanced composition. You wouldn’t do that, though. You just focus entirely on the chair and crop it right down. But if you were to go with this exact proportion to see what you have to do, that’s essentially balance in a nutshell. It’s ensuring that the weight is balanced.

When we talk about visual weight, we’re essentially talking about the things we mentioned with the focal elements. Visual weights include:

• Size,
• High contrasting elements,
• Saturation that adds more visual weight to things,
• Faces, a huge point of visual weight.
• Figures, the body figures as well.

All these things add lots of weight to an image, which needs to balance that out. Here’s an example of an unbalanced image. I completed this image a year or two ago. Your attention is drawn right over here to this building where there’s this bright light, so much bright contrast over here, as well as a figure which adds to it as well. And then not much on the right-hand side.

Now you might think we’ve got somethings here. We’ve got some paper printed boxes or corrugated printed boxes, whatever. But it’s not as bright. So a great way to check if it’s balanced is to decrease the values of light in your image. Then it turns up the contrast. When you do that, you can see that you got this big, bright patch on the left-hand side there. If you also turn up the blur in this value, you can see very clearly that it’s very unbalanced.

So this is essentially what’s called the squint test. If you squint your eyes, you essentially get this result. And you can try that with any image. And that’s just if you’re going decrease the brightness of things, we also gonna include things and remember things like saturation the faces, characters, things like that. They can also add extra weight.

But in this instance, if you wanted to balance this out, he would essentially need to put something around about here. Maybe a red engine, an extra lamp or something like that to counter that extremely bright weight over there. That would essentially do the trick. So that’s what is needed.

Here’s a better example, a more recent one. You’ve got this extremely bright crystal gem in the foreground there in a very dark surrounding. Now this would be really bad. It’s a really bad way to completely unbalance the same. But to counter that, in the background over here, we got old jimmy hiker standing in the cave entrance as a silhouette against the sky background. Meantime, he’s a figure, which adds a certain amount of weight to it as well.

So much weight that it counters against this brightness in the foreground there, without him there, this would be drastically unbalanced. But with him there, the fact is that he’s got so much weight as well, visually, it helps to balance that out. Hoping that makes sense.

Another example here, we’ve got a really large, huge looking monster dude, which would usually throw the image out of balance. But we have another character, a human girl, which has a lot of visual weight to it as well, which balances him out.

As well as that, you’ve got a bright window up there against the moon. There is a lot of contrast there, which would make this scene a little bit unbalanced, if it weren’t for this lamp shade down there.

Now, this is a complex example. And if you’re looking at this and thinking like, I don’t figure, I don’t know this. I can’t figure this out like this. Exact signs of bouncing this and that, and luminous and contrast and saturation. Don’t worry about it. It’s something that you will pick up as you go. So even though this might look confusing, like you don’t understand all of this stuff just yet, the more you work with it, you automatically begin to start implementing this stuff in your scene. So you’ll add a person, and then you’ll go, I need to add a little custom paper box over here to the right-hand side. You’ll just immediately instinctively start adding this stuff.

This is the best example I can think of for a balanced scene right here. We’ve got this obviously giant, demanding, scary looking robot with a huge, bright shining light. It’s a camera tart, which has got a lot of weight to it, heaps of weight. However, on the left-hand side here, we’ve got a little boy. He is a figure as humans were instinctively drawn to figurines. He has a lot of weight, even though he’s not as bright and contrast as the robot is. He is a silhouette. Therefore, he really acts as a really great balancing point for that giant robot there. As well as that, we’ve got this huge overpass over the top there, which would act to balance this. This cleverly placed shadow across the ground there, as you can see, is a really deliberate and brilliant way of balancing a really complex scene.

That is balance.

Sizes and Structure

The folder size is medium. It is 20cm in length, 16cm in width and 5cm in depth. And it is the outer size of the printed paper box.

This is a typical folding paper box with an intelligent box structure. On the sides, it has thick walls for protection and cushioning. The top cover can flip open. It has a tongue which acts as a lock for the closure of the paper box.

The advantage of the walls can also provide extra stacking ability. Then they won’t be crushed during the stacking and storage.

Materials and Paperboard

Because it is a small cardboard box, we adopt a paper material, which is very special. It is the micro-flute corrugated board. That is N flute. It is only 1mm in thickness. It is stronger than the normal 24pt SBS paperboard, because it is thicker. This leads to good rigidity and durability. Moreover, the flute height is extremely low. Thus, it has the more excellent printing quality than the E flute corrugated box, because the surface is more smoother.

Color and Printing

The printed paper box has the crisp full color printing. Most of color is navy blue with a brilliant logo. The dazzling visual effect is achieved by the gold foil stamping and embossing. On the bottom of the box is the white logo.

China BBP Co., Ltd is a leading China paper box manufacturer located in Xiamen. If you have a custom paper box to do, please do not hesitate to give us an email.

The article is written by reference to https://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/00070700910992880/full/html?src=recsys

By the end of this video, you’ll discover how to use colors effectively to alter the story or to create pleasing color schemes. So I’m gonna break it down into three core concepts.

1. Why color is so important,
2. Saturation and value
3. Color harmonies.

Why color is important

Let’s start with the why colors when used correctly can guide the viewers’ eyes to what’s important. Like in this scene, your eyes are immediately drawn to these nice green cylinder in the center of the screen.

It could also be used to tell the story or completely change the mood of the scene entirely.

However, when used incorrectly, like in my terrible scene here from 2007, it can make the viewer feel lost nauseous or even irritated. Basically colors can make or break your scene. It is very very important to get it nailed down.

Even worse, in terms of photorealism, color is one of the biggest giveaways that your image is fake. If you don’t believe me, take out your latest work, convert it to gray scale, and notice how it immediately looks a lot more photorealistic. Getting colors right is just hard.

Saturation and Brightness(Value)

Throughout the day, our eyes soak in millions of hues, saturations and shades, but we rarely ever stop to study them. Consequently, when it comes time to actually work, we have a hard time drawing from our memory what color is used for.

One could argue that it goes back to our childhood. As a kid, we learned about colors in their most simplified raw formats, red, blue, yellow, etc. But when we tried using these raw colors in our art, we probably quickly noticed that the results came out really ugly.

But why is that?

Saturation of value, that’s why.

Saturation is the intensity or purity of the color. And it’s one of the biggest culprits when it comes to ugly color work.

The second is value which refers to the brightness or the darkness of the color.

So let’s have a look at these. On the left here, it is 100% saturation, really hard to look at. But when we tone it down to 20%, it becomes almost a pink fleshy color again. I haven’t adjusted the color at all, but just changing the saturation gives you very different results.

Let’s try it again with value 100% on the left, 20% on the right. You can almost barely see it. So that’s adjusting the brightness of the color basically. So you can see that it now looks more like a muddy brown than a red now.

If you had to tweak both of these, the saturation and the value, you can see that you can create a whole plethora of different shades all from just one raw color at the start.

As is demonstrated in this painting. I’m fairly certain that the only color used in this painting is red. So just mixing it with white and black, you know. Changing the saturation and the value is able to create an entire image from just one color, It is very interesting.

Highly saturated color

Now in the CG world, saturation is probably one of the biggest offenders. A lot of artists choose highly saturated colors because they think it will make the results look much better.

But really? It couldn’t be further from the truth.

Highly saturated colors not only look incredibly fake, but using saturated colors everywhere makes your eyes nowhere to rest, which is really important in the image.

Have a look at this, as you can see, when you stare at it for too long, it becomes a little bit irritating.

So desaturated areas of your scene are very very important. But that’s not to say that bright saturated colors are all bad.

In this example you can see that your eyes are automatically drawn to the red, bright mountains in the background there. That was deliberate. That can be used as a compositional element. So your eyes are following back and forth along the same path as the camels are traveling, very cool.

And in this image, it’s pretty clear that the artist wanted you to notice those flowers. It’s also called wild poppies which is kind of a giveaway. But the red highly fluorescent color of them, it almost jumps off the screen edges. So it is really startling and probably the one element that you remember this image for.

And it could also be used for storytelling. Throughout history if you have a look at a lot of paintings, Jesus is always wearing red. And that’s basically to focus the attention on him and also to make him look powerful and mighty.

And in terms of cartoons, highly saturated or bright colors can actually work in your favor, because it can immediately note to the viewer that they’re looking at something which is fake. And it really plays to its surreal unrealistic qualities.

Brightness and saturation can even adjust your mood.

Brightness and saturation can even adjust your mood.  They are very important in the packaging design process of the color printed paper boxes. If you remember at the start of up, the colors were very vibrant. There was a lot of oranges. There was pink fluorescent grass and really vibrant colors. This was to signify the joyous happy moment in their lives.

But then it turned to sadness and the colors immediately changed to very desaturated tones, a lot of grays, a lot of browns. And if you have a look at that image on the right there, I mean there’s almost really no color at all. I mean it’s just a little bit of blue, kind of some brown in there but nearly all desaturated, so that helps you to feel the coldness and the loneliness that the characters are experiencing. This same effect was used at the start of the Incredibles and as well as the matrix. Color is a really powerful mood changer and it’s used a lot in Hollywood as well as video games which is why Call of Duty is completely desaturated, almost.

It can also be used for composition. When you have a look at this image, your eyes are probably automatically drawn into the background there, where there are some dudes wearing some gnarly red pants. So it’s really guiding your eyes from the foreground to the background just by having something highly saturated, so very important.

A similar effect can be seen right here. If it weren’t for that highly saturated parrot there in the

foreground, it’s unlikely that this image would be as successful as it is. The parrot really gives you something to anchor yourself to. So, you’ll then free to explore the rest of the scene, so to speak.

So just to summarize what I’ve already spoken about saturation and value in a nutshell.

• Don’t overdo it. Don’t saturate and use high values all throughout your scene. It will always come out horrible.
• Use saturation and value to guide the viewer
• Use it to tell a story, who is powerful, you know, what you are drawing attention to.
• Use it to change the mood, use vibrant colors in an animation and desaturate it, you know, when you want to change it to be sad
• Use it to draw attention to something that otherwise wouldn’t be getting attention.

Color Harmonies

Saturated and value leads us to point number three: color harmonies. Sorry for blinding you there I love this topic.

Color harmonies basically pertains to the fact that some colors look better together than others. It’s also known as color schemes or complementary harmonies. It has a number of different words.

What I’m going to be talking about is six popular and common color harmonies that work well. They’re based on concrete ideas and you can start using them in your work straight away.

1. Monochromatic

The first one is monochromatic, probably the easiest one to start with, because it involves only one color. The entire image uses just one color.

This is best for single subjects, because it forces the viewer to focus on the details of the image, the changes in the value or the saturation.

And it could also be used to create a very striking atmospheric effect as will be demonstrated right now. So you can see here, your eyes are drawn to the silhouette of the rocks and the figures. And you’re focusing on the story as opposed to the colors. It is very cool.

And this image here, a slide from that yellow moon at the top there is entirely painted with red, giving a very striking atmospheric effect.

And this next one, I absolutely love creepy chilling. And it’s all using one color, yellow. It is a very cool effect and use very well.

2. Analogous

Number two is analogous. This one is cool. It’s about colors that are next to each other on the wheel.

Thus you know about the distance you can see right there. The cool thing about this one is that it’s easy on the eyes. It creates a peaceful and comfortable mood mainly because it is seen a lot in nature. You know green trees, blue skies and things like that. The colors are very related. Let me give you some examples.

In this image here, the stylet might almost look monochromatic since there’s a lot of purple in the background there. But you can see over here, if I put my mouse here, you can see there is a blue sort of shore resting on that chair there. Then you’ve got this striking pink flower there. It is really a brilliant use of that color scheme.

Here as the example of nature, you’ve got some dark green grass here, and you’ve got some light green up here in this tree here and then of course the sky with a delicate blue there.

And this image is really outstanding example, totally striking. You got this lovely red dress and then the use of purple and pink’s throughout the rest of the scene.

And this image here, aside from a couple of areas where there’s the blue, the rest of it is all using yellow, orange and red. If you look in the background there, yellow taxi, you’ve got some orange signs, red car, etc. It is so really pleasant effect.

3. Triatic Color Harmony Scheme

Number three, the triatic color harmony scheme is probably one of the hardest to pull off. It involves colors which are equally distant to each other on the wheel. It’s really best for cartoons or surreal scenes because it can come across as being quite playful.

It’s probably not the best example to put right after that. But you can see here again, Jesus is wearing that striking red and then using blue and yellow to highlight other elements. And it’s created a very pleasing-looking result.

And here is a really outstanding example. It doesn’t have to be just the primary color by the way. The triadic can be equally distant to each other on the color wheel. This one is using mainly orange green and blues. And you can see it’s a really significant effect. It comes across really cheerfully and just really nice.

4. Complementary

Number four is complementary. This one is probably one I’m sure you’ve all heard of before. It’s basically colors that are opposing each other on the wheel so it’s very popular. A lot of artwork not only today but throughout history use complementary color schemes. It is widely used on the color design of the printed paper boxes.

It’s just naturally pleasing to the eye. Colors that are opposite to each other on the wheel just look better. They just looked nice next to each other.

But something that a lot of people don’t mention is that you shouldn’t use both colors equally like you shouldn’t use 50% grain and 50% red. You should be using one color predominantly, generally the weaker color.

In this case if you’re using green and red, you’d be using the green the most. You’d be using that for like most of the scene and then using some splashes of red.

Like some really desaturated greens and then some you know saturated areas of red, have a look at some examples here. We go very similar to the movie Brave I think. You could see a lot of green. She’s wearing a nice green dress there. There is a lot of green along the grass there, and then this red shawl, her red hair, the sunset. Everything else there creating a really nice scheme.

Here this one is a lot harder to notice since it looks almost monochromatic, a lot of yellow throughout everything. But if you look way in the background there, you could see some violet color. That is a complementary color scheme.

And here I love this one. It’s a splendid example of using cool and warm colors which are naturally complementary.

And that can also be used to affect the mood of the of the scene as well if you want a certain part of the of the scene to look sort of cold, then using blue cool aqua type colors can have that effect. And then using warm colors such as red and orange can make it look inviting or pleasant.

And this one really popular one that was on CD Society for a long time by Tony Brett in civic. Using the red and green color scheme coming across really really nicely and very powerful-looking effect.

And this one here very obvious red and green seems to be a very popular complementary scheme. And in this example here as I showed you before, we’ve got aqua for most of the elements and then in the background there you’ve got some highlights of some warm orange lights and especially on the screens there. But there’s virtually almost no other color in the scene which is kind of interesting.

And in this one here I love this one Drogo from Game of Thrones, it’s mostly yellow, mostly. It has this yellow, orange tinge to it and you might be thinking where is the blue. Well, it’s

Here it’s from the rim light. And I would say without that blue, this image would not look as striking or as good as it does. That blue even though it’s really subtle, and it’s only a small amount. It really does help to balance out the heavy use of this yellow color.

5. Split Complementary

let’s talk about split complementary.

Split complementary color schemes are very similar to the complementary. It uses opposites, but basically you take one end of it and then you split it. It allows you more creative freedom, instead of just being locked to two colors. It allows you to use three colors. Generally, this type of color scheme feels more lively and joyous.

I’ll give you an example here. I love this painting, really nice use of some purple all through the flowers. And then you’ve got some yellow flowers, the green plants and yellow in the background. Basically, there are just three colors all throughout the whole thing, and it’s a really striking very pleasing looking result.

Regarding this one, I love this image. We’ve got some really nice orange trees, this striking green lawn and the nice cool blue calming sky. These three colors going together, they work out really well. Even though they’re really highly saturated, there are elements of low value and desaturation, like you can see these trees in the background here. They’ve been desaturated. This main foreground has this orange against this blue which are naturally complementary as well. They go really well together. And you’ve got some dark areas in the grass etc.

As for this one here, it’s a little bit harder to notice, but you can see obviously you’ve got some yellow on the robot itself and then the blue sky. You might be looking where is the orange. It’s in the sunset in the background there, very subtle. But again it does give you a little bit more freedom using three colors as opposed to two.

Regarding this one here, I love this one by Carlos. It’s a great use. It looks like two colors but actually it’s three. So, we’ve got this blue color which is going through the hair on the dress, then the plant itself. You’ve got some especially on those stamens flowers there. They come out as this aqua color, almost a greenish sort of color in the background, even a little bit of purple there. It is really nice use of the split complementary scheme there.

This one again is a split complementary scheme. It’s just blue and orange there on the book. But if you have a look at the hair, you can see that it’s red. It’s got a nice red tint to it, especially on this curtain over here. And there’s a little bit of red, a nice use of three colors. They’re coming out really nicely.

And I really love this image. It is great use of colors especially for a cartoon scene, highly saturated, lively, joyous look. You’ve got the yellow bananas, the pink flower, very vibrant in her hair and then the green trees and this dress here. And you could argue that there’s some blue, blue sky and the sea. But I would say there’s a lot of green in that like. It’s more of a greenish aqua. And as you can see, I mean the results speak for themselves, lovely and dazzling looking image. It is great use of the split complementary scheme.

6. Double Complementary

Finally, let’s talk about Tetratic. Its other name is double complementary. It chooses two pairs of opposites and it doesn’t really matter where they are on the wheel. Just choose two different pairs. Therefore, it’s best used for foregrounds and backgrounds. I would wouldn’t really recommend using it for -like mixing everything in the same sort of area. It’s a little hard to describe. I’ll show you some examples in a second.

While using the foreground, you might want to have one pair and the way in the background maybe balance another pair. Never ever use 25% of each. Like what I said before about using complementary colors, don’t use 50% to 50%. It is the same with this. If you use 25% of each, it would just look horrible. It would just be chaos. For the weak colors, use them primarily. And then use the splashes of the brighter colors. It is hard to pull off, but it can produce some pretty pleasing looking results. Having a look at this one, for example, this is an example of the foreground and background. The foreground is using the green and red parent. And the way in the background is sort of hard to see. But you’ve got some violets and some yellows coming through there. Hence, that’s an example.

This one here is another example. You might not think it is a double complementary. But you have a look at it more carefully and you’ll notice it. You’ve got this reddish orange building there, which makes up the red. Then you’ve got the yellow coming through on this light here, as well as in these buildings here. The blue is coming through on the sky which just leaves the green left, and that is in the water, very desaturated, really nice use of it. But this nice green murkiness and some splashes of green in the plant here, and the vine are a really nice use of four colors together.

I love this one too. It’s an excellent use. The main color for this image, which your eyes are most drawn to is the red hat. The opposite to that is this jacket or hoodie that is wearing, which is this green color. Looking at this color wheel, you can see they’re paired, the red and the green. So where’s the other two colors in the background? You can see the background mostly blue with some little yellow bouquet effect lights in the background there. Thus again that’s foreground and background, just pairing the two. The foregrounds is paired and the background is paired, creating a really nice pleasing result.

Then finally we can look at this one. You probably wouldn’t think it is using four colors, but again it is there. There is a lot of blue. But you could see that there’s a difference. You’ve got this aqua greenish bright blue and this deep murky blue. These are the two different blues there. And then you’ve got this nice blonde yellowy hair here, and that goes in really well with that deep blue. Those are nice complementary colors. Then the skin is this warmer oranges color and you’ve got some even some red lips there as well. That goes balancing this aqua color which is in going into her mermaid tail. They’re really nice use of it. Those nice vibrant funky colors again really plays to the surreal qualities of a cartoon render.

Let’s summarize this whole post.

1. Use it sparingly not over the whole thing. Use it to highlight the areas of interest and to help tell a story think about the overall image.
2. Use values of high content of high contrast to draw attention to things, and that’s basically brightness versus darkness.
3. Color harmonies. These are the six again.
   • Monochromatic: one color
   • Analogous: using adjacent colors
   • Triadic: using equally distant colors
   • Complementary: opposing colors on the wheel
   • Split complementary: one complementary end extended
   • Double complementary：just the two pairs of opposing colors

That’s pretty much it, guys. I’d leave on one last note. Don’t stress. Colors can be really fun. It can be stressful when you’re trying to experiment, to play with it, or to make something that works. It sometimes does just take a lot of practice to come up and have a like develop an eye for seeing a combination that will actually work with your scene. Especially with 3D scenes where you’ve got a lot of different shading and bounce lighting and stuff like that, that can kind of mess up your scheme sometimes. Therefore, just basically have fun with it and it can be fun, provided you don’t stress and just enjoy learning the colors.

The package positioning tries to make the brand occupy a prime position in the customer’s heart. The image of the package in the people’s head is vivid, lively and strong.  It consists of 3 primary parts.

Brand Awareness

The trademark can make a consumer recognize the business brand easily. It is a symbol of the business culture and value. How to represent this intangible asset in the printed paper box is the prime task of a packaging designer.

There are three key points while dealing with the firm’s brand.

1.  The customer can recognize a brand instantly in the grocery.
2.  The representation of the brand can leave a deep impression on the shopper. And it is a favorable image in the mind of the buyer.
3. The packaging carton or bottle need to embody the business philosophy. Then the buyer can feel it without knowing it.

Product Positioning

The product positioning is a marketing approach to introduce the product to a certain group of target clients. Good understanding of this information can help the packaging engineers create an effective structure and layout to drive more leads and sales.

The target user of the product determines the packing style. For example, a toy product for children should have a custom paper box of vivid images and crisp color. A cosmetic paper box for ladies should look and feel quality, elegant and noble. Therefore, an intelligent package creator always make a careful and thorough study of the primary buyers’ preference before the choice of the colors and materials.

Another aspect of the product positioning is the selling points. Why will the people buy the product? Is it the original place of production? Is it the new feature or function?