Berlin Packaging Dominates NACD Awards with Record-Breaking 15 Award Victories

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Berlin Packaging Dominates NACD Awards with Record-Breaking 15 Award Victories

Results further proof of global packaging juggernaut’s commitment and dedication to its customers’ success

The bar has been raised by Berlin Packaging, the world’s largest supplier of glass, plastic, and metal containers and closures, with the biggest awards haul of any company in recent National Association of Container Distributor (NACD) history. Berlin Packaging was awarded an unprecedented 15 medals during the NACD 2019 packaging awards competition, celebrating the most innovative packaging design from the past year. Including these latest award victories, Berlin Packaging now boasts more than 50 total NACD awards received over the past six years.

The $2.6 billion packaging juggernaut’s 15 awards spanned eight categories, including sweeps of two highly competitive categories – Beverage and Household Goods. In total, nine of these wins were attributed to projects with the company’s world-class design and innovation division, Studio One Eleven, which offers structural package design and branding services at no-charge in exchange for packaging business. Additionally, Berlin Packaging flexed its international muscle with winning projects from Italy and England, two of the company’s 100+ global sales and warehouse locations.

Beyond accolades, company’s mission is to grow customers bottom lines

While honored by the awards, Berlin Packaging measures it’s success by how it helps clients increase sales, reduce costs and improve productivity. To achieve this, Berlin customers benefit from the company’s network of 900+ manufacturing partners, plus a robust selection of value-added offerings, including warehousing and inventory management programs, global sourcing, and much more.

“Our number one priority is to thrill our customers, and the continued recognition we receive year after year from the NACD validates our unique business model,” said Andrew Berlin, Chairman and CEO of Berlin Packaging. “From the world class capabilities of our Studio One Eleven design and innovation division, to the proactive advocacy of our Quality team, to our below market financing for capital expenditures, we offer a multitude of income-boosting services at no-charge to our customers to help them package more profit,” added Berlin. 

Multiple Category Wins including People’s Choice Award

Receiving the coveted People’s Choice Award was the Heaven’s Door Whiskey bottle, a Studio One Eleven project that helped translate Bob Dylan’s vision for standout packaging for his premium spirits. The bottle also took home the bronze medal as part of Berlin’s Beverage category sweep. The gold medal in Beverage was won by Studio One Eleven’s custom guitar-inspired design of Pickers Vodka, while the uniquely-colored glass bottle with copper debossed bar top stopper of Bullards Gin, won silver, in addition to a bronze in the Best Use of Custom category.

Berlin also swept the Household category, led by the revolutionary twin-chambered, one-sprayer design of the Rejuvenate Dual System Outdoor House Wash and Window Cleaner. The newly engineered Morton Pool Salt won silver and Febreeze PLUG earned bronze. 

Other Berlin Packaging winners include:

• Ecolab Sprayer – Gold – Industrial

• Morton Kosher Salt – Gold –Food

• Sabino Basso Olive Oil – Silver – Food

• ASEA Via Line – Silver – Nutraceuticals

• Alterna Caviar – Silver – Personal Care

• Zep High-Output Chemical Sprayer – Bronze – Industrial

• Poo-Pourri – Bronze – Novelty 

For additional information on Berlin Packaging, including its full list of income-boosting services, visit BerlinPackaging.com.

Berlin Packaging Takes Most Awards in Company History at 2018 National Association of Container Distributor Awards

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Berlin Packaging Takes Most Awards in Company History at 2018 National Association of Container Distributor Awards

Innovative packaging supplier wins 11 coveted medals in 6 categories, including a sweep of the Household, Chemical & Automotive category

Berlin Packaging, the leading full-service supplier of plastic, glass, and metal containers and closures, announced today another successful year at the National Association of Container Distributor (NACD) packaging awards competition.

The 2018 ceremony, which recognizes the most innovative and compelling packages released during the previous year, garnered Berlin Packaging 11 medals. These add to the company’s 39 NACD awards earned in the prior five years.

The company, a global packaging juggernaut valued at $2.6 billion, has also been recognized recently in other packaging competitions, including the American Packaging Design Awards, WorldStar Packaging Awards, and PAC Global Leadership Awards.

The awards earned this year represent the most ever received by the company at the NACD competition. Berlin’s winning entries included:

Everest Motor Oil (Gold, Household, Chemical &Automotive; Bronze, Best Use of Custom Packaging) needed to solve a top-load distribution issue and wanted packaging differentiation in the staid motor oil segment. The new bottle delivers on both fronts with attractive geometry meeting strong utility.

Hero Clean (Silver, Household, Chemical &Automotive; Silver, Best Use of Stock Components) eschewed fancy design or obscure shapes for a laundry detergent package that appeals to men. The charcoal gray color and the packaging graphics on the 64oz polypropylene square container exude a masculine vibe referencing the military, which is essential to the brand’s story.

Honest Company Baby Fabric Care Line (Bronze, Household, Chemical & Automotive) speaks directly to the desires of millennial consumers, specifically moms, that their products must be premium, eco-conscious, and user-friendly. The custom bottle and closure designed by Studio One Eleven®, the design division of Berlin Packaging, also sets a new standard of e-commerce functionality.

Bissell Pro Oxy Stain Destroyer Pet with Brush Head Cleaner (Silver, Pet & Vet; Silver, Best Use of Custom Packaging) not only tackles the toughest stains but also dramatically reduces the hassle involved in cleaning up pet mess. With a form-meets-function approach, the HDPE angled neck blotter-bottle streamlines the process with an attached scrubbing tool and dispensing closure. 

Fernweh Distilling Company – Limited Edition Rye Whiskey (Silver, Beverage) successfully entered the crowded premium spirits category with a bottle that fulfills the brand’s promise to convey “the finer thing in life.” The matte walnut bartop closure and paper label with foil stamping provide the premium elements needed for the highest-quality whiskeys.

SANTAMANÍA Urban Legend Gin (Bronze, Beverage) presents a bottle that is both whimsical and intricate. Wrapped in a jet-colored veil, the graphic presentations evoke at once an elegant bull fighting costume and an ironic Rosetta Stone. The embossments, with the distillery name and logo at the top and bottom of the bottle, and the hand signing by the distiller on the white seal with gold leaf accents elevates the presentation.

Maty's Organic Cough Syrup and All Natural Cough Syrup (Silver, Drug & Pharmaceutical) packaging is distinctly food, not pharmaceutical, first. The recipes for Maty’s are an evolution of recipes that our great grandmothers might have made from scratch. The all-natural and folk-like aesthetic really pops next to the reds, blues and oranges seen on the traditional medicine-aisle shelves.

PainBloc24 (Silver, Drug & Pharmaceutical) has a rollerball package that provides effortless application of this OTC pain reliever for 24-hour arthritis relief. The rollerball glides on for topical relief and, with a simple stock closure, PainBloc24 not only functions for the desired purpose but delivers in a visually pleasing package that stands out.

“We’re thrilled with the continued recognition from the NACD, especially as it successfully highlights our dedication and willingness to provide our customers with the right solutions to address their packaging needs and improve their bottom lines,” said Andrew Berlin, Chairman and CEO of Berlin Packaging. “Whether it’s the world class capabilities of our Studio One Eleven design division to create innovative packaging solutions or the proactive advocacy from our Quality team or our capital lending, we offer these and many other income-boosting services at no-charge in exchange for packaging business.”

“Great design makes business sense,” said Scott Jost, Vice President of Innovation & Design at Berlin Packaging and leader of Studio One Eleven. “Our team of designers, engineers, market researchers, and tooling experts works hand-in-hand with the rest of Berlin to deliver compelling innovations that work with consumers and our customers’ supply chains.”

Packaging World – Paw-Friendly Ice Melt Gets Beefed-Up Package

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Packaging World – Paw-Friendly Ice Melt Gets Beefed-Up Package

By Anne Marie Mohan, Senior Editor, Packaging World

When Morton Salt introduced its Safe-T-Pet salt- and chloride-free ice melt product, the goal was to protect pets’ paws from the skin burns that can result from the salt used to de-ice winter streets and sidewalks. Created with the help of veterinarians, the product was successful at both protecting their paws as well as eliminating the risk to their health from ingestion of traditional ice melt products.

Unfortunately though, Morton Salt wasn’t as successful at preventing the product’s packaging from damage. The packaging for Safe-T-Pet Ice Melt, an 8-lb handled high-density polyethylene container, had a closure that sat above the shoulders of the bottle but did not cover the entire top of the bottle. Because of this, when other bottles were stacked on top of the container, the top load would cause crushing in the shoulders, resulting in quality issues and returns. In addition, the handle was not ergonomically friendly, making it difficult for some consumers to comfortably pour the product from the heavy container.

In early 2015, Morton Salt approached Berlin Packaging to help them create a container that would improve its supply chain functionality as well as the visual presentation of the product. As Berlin Senior Account Executive Johanna Jost explains, Berlin designed a new closure that covers the entire top of the container to help distribute top load and prevent crushing. In addition, the durable HDPE container features chamfers from top to bottom that also help distribute weight more evenly.

“Because of the redesigned container’s increased column strength, the company saves money by removing corrugated in the shipping pack outs,” Jost notes.

The new design also includes a number of functional improvements, including a wider, grooved handle that easily accommodates bulky winter gloves and a custom polypropylene flip-top closure, which replaces the difficult-to-maneuver wide-mouth screw top that was used previously. The new closure also has a larger sifting feature that allows more salt to flow out of the container during dispensing.

While the new package is more robust for the retail supply chain, the redesigned die-cut pressure-sensitive label offers pet owners extra confidence, stating the ice melt is “Safer for Pets” and “Veterinarian Recommended.” It also includes an image of a young girl with her puppy on a clear and clean sidewalk, showcasing exactly how the product works to allow pets to play freely.

The new 160-oz container is supplied by Humberline Packaging, while the new polypropylene closure is provided by Jatco.After Morton Salt switched its Safe-T-Pet Ice Melt product to the new container, it transitioned its other ice melt products, including Action Melt and Safe-T-Power, to the new packaging as well.

Berlin Packaging Establishes Company Record For Gold Medals at Recent Packaging Industry Awards

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Berlin Packaging Establishes Company Record For Gold Medals at Recent Packaging Industry Awards

New Mark Set for Gold Winners at 2017 National Association of Container Distributors; Firm Also Takes Gold at North American Retail Hardware Association Awards.

Berlin Packaging, the leading full-service supplier of plastic, glass, and metal containers and closures, today announced it received a record number of gold medals at the NACD (National Association of Container Distributors) 2017 Packaging Awards. Four of the company’s eight medals at the NACD competition this year were gold; in addition, Berlin received one gold and one silver medal at the NRHA (North American Retail Hardware Association) 2017 Packaging & Merchandising Awards, considered the top packaging honor in the retail hardware industry.

2017 marks the eighth consecutive year Berlin Packaging has been awarded gold medals at the NACD show. Its winning entries included:

Eden Mill (Gold, Beverage) wanted distinctive packaging when it launched its “Art of the Blend” whisky in 2016. The resulting custom-designed bottle includes small, pyramid-shaped embossments and a diamond-shaped labeling panel, achieving a striking look while still accommodating the intricate neck design and the unique labeling space.

Moreno Cedroni Confezione (Gold, Food; Bronze, Best Use of Stock Components) is a beautiful line of fruit jams from one of Italy’s great culinary innovators. The interlocking, stackable, and wave-shaped glass jars, reminiscent of inkpots used by Italian writers of centuries past, are each sealed with a different overwrap in a color appropriate to the delicious treat inside. This package is available as a standard item from Berlin Packaging’s Bruni Glass division.

Mylanta (Gold, Drug & Pharmaceuticals) successfully solved packaging challenges surrounding the re-introduction of the well-known liquid antacid after a multi-year hiatus. Updating Mylanta’s iconic bottle for a new era, the sleek, tapered redesign features ergonomic indents on the sides along with a new dosage cup with a debossed logo.

Stihl MotoMix (Gold, General Industrial) took a new angle on the typical cylindrical can for its ethanol-free gas product for chainsaws, leaf blowers, and edge trimmers. The first-ever line of square cans in the premixed fuel category required several design innovations including a special laser welding process and an ergonomic handle.

Bib & Tucker (Silver, Beverage) recently expanded its product line to include Bib & Tucker Small Batch White Whiskey and needed packaging to match its brand that represented old-fashioned, elite liquor. The design behind the embossed “peerless quality” and retro label reinforce the classic heritage that is integral to the brand. The heavy cork, secured with black twine to the neck of the bottle, encourages consumers to celebrate each glass poured.

Morton Safe-T-Pet Ice Melt (Silver, Household, Chemical & Automotive) is a unique salt- and chloride-free product, formulated to melt sidewalk ice yet prevent harm to pets as they walk. The package includes an ergonomic pouring handle with enough room to fit a gloved hand, and the patented bottle and closure features a custom “snap-on/twist-off” neck finish allowing consumers to refill the jug for repeated use.

Robert Rothschild (Silver, Food) wanted to resonate with a new, younger demographic and individuals that prioritize maintaining a healthy lifestyle, while not alienating the brand’s existing consumers. To achieve this goal, the distinct hexagonal shape of the outgoing jar was applied to the new design. A small, repeating hexagon embossment houses a Rothschild “R” on each of the six sides to elevate the brand.

The 2017 NRHA Packaging & Merchandising Awards honor those products sold at hardware retailers that deliver an exceptional degree of shelf and sales appeal, innovation, and efficiency. Berlin Packaging’s winners this year include:

Morton Safe-T-Pet Ice Melt (Gold), also a gold winner at the NACD awards, uses angled geometries to provide a contemporary look. The package’s most innovative feature is the flip-top closure that opens with one hand for pouring, then seals tightly with a snap.

Roto-Rooter Preventive Pipe Shield Maintenance Treatment (Silver) is a custom improvement on the industry-standard “F-Style” pour bottle. Roto-Rooter’s drain care product packaging offers a host of ergonomic advantages including a proprietary dosage cup that fits seamlessly on the neck. The angled design of the cup makes it easy to pour the measured product into a drain, and snaps in place on the bottle for reliable storage.

“As proud as we are of the consistent recognition our packaging designs receive in major competitions, we’re most gratified by the partnerships we’ve formed with our clients,” said Scott Jost, Berlin Packaging’s Vice President of Innovation and Design. “Berlin Packaging’s Studio One Eleven design division is unique in its business model that provides design services at no charge in exchange for packaging business. Our people are the best in the business at working alongside clients to create solutions that exceed standards of excellence where it counts most—on retail shelves.”

“Once again, Berlin Packaging’s strong showing in these recent packaging awards is clear testament to our innovative spirit. We know how vital it is for products to stand out on shelves and also provide high utility to consumers,” said Andrew Berlin, Chairman and CEO of Berlin Packaging. “Moreover, we seek to innovate beyond packaging. Our industry-leading customer thrill scores, our track-record of 99+% on-time delivery, every month now for almost 13 years, and our ISO 9001 certification are all examples of how we try to be the best supplier for our customers. Every day we demonstrate our commitment to driving results to our customers’ bottom lines.”

Label and Narrow Web – Peace Tree Brewing Company Finds Success with Packaging Redesign

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Label and Narrow Web – Peace Tree Brewing Company Finds Success with Packaging Redesign

By Greg Hrinya.

Peace Tree Brewing Company, founded in 2009 in a former Nash Rambler car dealership on Main Street in Knoxville, IA, USA, wanted to modify its packaging for functional and aesthetic reasons. In order to do so, the company tapped Berlin Packaging’s Studio One Eleven for the redesign. 

Peace Tree Brewing Company is a craft brewery dedicated to handcrafted, full-flavored beers with attention to quality. The company’s product line consists of four flagship craft beers, as well as several seasonal and specialty beers that are produced throughout the year. 

The competitive nature of the craft beer marketplace necessitated the redesign. “The industry has grown very quickly in the past several years, with craft breweries springing up everywhere in response to an enthusiastic market,” explains Jacob Pfitzenmaier, packaging consultant for Berlin Packaging. “Some experts, however, believe the market is reaching a saturation point, so it is more vital than ever to stand out from the crowd. Every day is a new challenge to do that, so at Peace Tree we just try to stay true to our roots and mission: to remain dedicated to brewing handcrafted, full-flavored beers with great attention to quality.” 

Berlin Packaging helped modify the existing bottle. The goal was to achieve a true 12-ounce fill on the production line–as opposed to 350 mL–and to change the neck finish to allow for easier opening. The custom redesign took place on a 12-ounce amber glass bottle. 

Berlin Packaging was faced with several challenges along the way, though. “The biggest challenge was departing from the outgoing Canadian bottle, which was suited for a 350mL (11.835 oz.) fill, which meant it only had a brim-full capacity of 359mL (12.1 oz.),” says Pfitzenmaier. “The new bottle, which is a custom 12-ounce amber glass shape, has a brim-full capacity of 386 mL (13 oz.), which is able to hold the correct 12 oz. fill with ample headspace, while staying very close to the original diameter and height dimensions in order to allow for a seamless transition operationally on the production line. It fully solved the increased capacity challenge. 

“In addition, the outgoing bottle also had a transfer bead in the neck, which interfered with many church key openers, and actually resulted in broken necks during opening,” he says. “That’s not the customer experience you want. The new standard neck shifts this bead down with a sloping angle, so as to alleviate the problem.” 

Not only did the bottle resolve the 12-ounce-fill and neck-finish objectives, it helped reinforce brand recognition and strength with a distinctive shape and embossments. The bottle continues to work seamlessly on the existing filling line equipment. 

“There are so many benefits associated with the new packaging,” explains Pfitzenmaier. “They include better ergonomics, easier opening, a distinctive look, increased capacity, increased production and stocking efficiencies that heightens our distribution and growth.” 

According to Peace Tree, Berlin Packaging provides greater supply-chain efficiencies, like just-in-time delivery of packaging, which allows greater product availability for its customers. “Berlin’s reputation was strong in the region and in the industry, so it was a natural pick,” says Pfitzenmaier. 

Peace Tree has received positive feedback since the bottle launched in November of 2016. Not only has the company responded with increased production and stocking efficiencies, the brewery opened a new “contemporary-meets-industrial” taproom on January 1, 2017. It is located in a renovated Quonset hut in the East Village in downtown Des Moines. 

“The new bottle design was just launched, so success is a bit too early to gauge, but the initial reaction to the new bottle has been very positive,” says Pfitzenmaier. “We opened our taproom on New Year’s Day, and we’ve had healthy crowds ever since. People seem to love the space, and we’re excited about serving our customers and the community from this location.” 

Berlin Packaging Leads U.S. Entrants in 2017 WorldStar Packaging Awards with Three Winners

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Berlin Packaging Leads U.S. Entrants in 2017 WorldStar Packaging Awards with Three Winners

Packaging for Torani, Olivio, and Lube-Tech take honors at World Packaging Organization’s annual global competition, attracting submissions from 35 countries.

Berlin Packaging, the leading full-service supplier of plastic, glass, and metal containers and closures, announced today that its packaging solutions for Torani Smoothie Mix, Olivio Spray Butter, and Lube-Tech Advanced Fuel Treatment were selected as winners in the 2017 WorldStar Awards, one of the world’s most prestigious packaging competitions. Berlin led all U.S. winners in the competition, accounting for one-fifth of the 15 total awards given to American companies.

Judged by packaging industry experts during the most recent World Packaging Organization (WPO) annual meeting in Vienna, Austria, the WorldStar Packaging Awards are open only to entries that previously won in a national or multi-national competition recognized by the organization. The WorldStar Awards are the largest and most important global packaging competition organized by the WPO. This year’s competition attracted 291 entries from 35 countries.

“For any company, winning a WorldStar Award is an honor and a sign of real packaging excellence. Berlin Packaging is delighted to receive this recognition on behalf of the work we do for our clients,” stated Andrew Berlin, Chairman and CEO of Berlin Packaging. “Our goal at Berlin Packaging is to help our customers be more successful and more profitable. Smart packaging design and execution is core part of our formula, so these WorldStar awards help validate the effort put forth by so many people at Berlin, at our customers, and at our supply partners.”

Berlin Packaging, with three awards, was among the top winners worldwide. Torani Smoothie Mix, a winner in the Food category, is a cocktail mix that features a unique actuator/closure for efficient, one-handed motion. The self-sealing cap provides a thorough air barrier to maintain product freshness, and includes other benefits important to bartenders such as a non-chugging design to ensure smooth pouring accuracy.

Also recognized in the Food category is Berlin’s entry for Olivio Spray Butter. The new package, which replaces an industrial-styled container, maintains the original package footprint while communicating the sleek, slender appearance of an imported olive oil bottle. The package’s soft, rounded angles and elegant, elongated neck are better suited for female hands.

Finally, the winning package for Lube-Tech Advanced Fuel Treatment incorporates an industry-first polypropylene measuring cup that snaps onto the neck of the brand’s PET bottle and features a lid for sealing out dirt and contaminants. By strengthening differentiation on the retail shelf, Lube-Tech’s new package yielded a 30% increase in sales while also reducing material usage by 16%.

Representatives from 23 packaging associations around the world participated in judging the 2017 WorldStar Awards. Winners will be recognized in an awards ceremony and gala evening on May 4, 2017, in Dusseldorf, Germany.

Innovative Business Model for Berlin Packaging’s Studio One Eleven Design Division Spurring Double-Digit Growth

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Innovative Business Model for Berlin Packaging’s Studio One Eleven Design Division Spurring Double-Digit Growth

By Providing Design Services at No Charge in Exchange for Packaging Business, Design Studio Is Changing the Industry, Winning Awards, and Propelling $3+ Billion in Sales for Customers.

CHICAGO – (November 3, 2016) – Studio One Eleven, the design and innovation division of Berlin Packaging, offers full-service design and engineering support with a twist: they provide their services at no charge in exchange for supply agreements for packaging. Where some might characterize such a strategy as unconventional, executives at its design division use an altogether different word: Aligned.

Unique Business Model Resonating

“Because fee-based engagement models demand it, most design consultancies focus on their billable hours rather than their clients’ financial success. Whether the product they’ve designed launches or not – and whether that product is successful or not – doesn’t financially impact the consultant,” said Scott Jost, Vice President of Innovation & Design at Studio One Eleven. “It’s our belief that the pure fee-for-service model is antiquated. At Studio One Eleven, we are fully vested in the success of every project we work on. We exist to help increase the revenue of our customers.”

In 1999, Berlin Packaging made the decision to provide Studio One Eleven’s design services to its customers at no charge in exchange for customers’ packaging business. Seventeen years later, this innovation continues to pay off with record-setting corporate revenues along with double-digit increases in project counts for Studio One Eleven. 2016 is on trend to be yet another solid year winning with customers, with dozens of patents filed and on average more than one custom component tool approved per calendar day.

Driving it all, Jost notes, is the success of Berlin Packaging’s broad customer base. “The packaging we designed at Studio One Eleven helped generate more than $3 billion in sales for our clients last year,” he said. “We’re not trying to get a bigger piece of a fixed pie. Instead we’re working to make the pie itself bigger for everybody.”

In the past year, Studio One Eleven’s design solutions have performed almost as well at award competitions as they have in the marketplace. In addition to winning multiple honors at some of the industry’s most respected competitions, including the WorldStar Packaging Awards, the Studio’s solution for Nu Skin Enterprises’ ageLOC® Me skin care device received the prestigious “A-prime” Platinum Award. Most recently, its package for Thea’s English Tea earned the People’s Choice Award at the Brand Packaging Design Gallery Awards.

Investing for More

Now boasting a staff of 25, Studio One Eleven offers 300+ years of combined product, packaging and brand building experience. The team is comprised of people from blue-chip design agencies and leading packaged-goods firms; team members importantly also bring expertise from outside packaging, from consumer electronics and clothing to footwear and medical devices.

Two new positions were created over the last 18 months to further enhance the team. Shar Puskala, a certified internal auditor for ISO 13485 with Class I and II medical device commercialization experience, joined as Director of Program Management to help customers navigate complex project development cycles in regulated product categories. Martin Rathgeber augmented the engineering team as Director of Engineering to improve the integration of design and manufacturing. Rathgeber and Puskala bring a combined four decades of experience in teaching, practicing and leading engineering engagements for a range of global firms that includes Wrigley, SC Johnson, Kimberly Clark, Clorox, Procter & Gamble, and Kraft Foods.

The Studio recently moved to a new 8,000-square-foot space in Chicago’s West Loop neighborhood, adjacent to Berlin Packaging’s world headquarters. The new facility features a full packaging resource and sample library, collaboration and meeting spaces, and an in-house model shop for real-time prototyping. “We take great pride in our old-world modeling skills, but as early adopters of rapid prototyping technologies we’ve woven the ability to test parts early and often into our methodologies,” Jost states. “Getting our customers to market with great solutions faster means that we’re all making money sooner.”

End-to-End with No Skipped Steps

Something that has not changed is the Studio’s approach to each project, which has earned the globally-recognized ISO 9001:2008 certification.

Before any design work begins, the Studio seeks out consumer, category and competitor insights with user ethnographies, store visits and market research. This feeds the brand strategy, graphic design and structural design work. But the Studio designs much more than bottles and caps; they can handle complex systems like compliance packages, medical consumables, applicators and dispensing systems.

The Studio’s engineers then review all designs to ensure they will manufacture properly and move smoothly through the supply chain. A dedicated mold-building team shepherds the final, customer-approved design through a mold-build process and collaborates with Berlin’s procurement team, who selects the right manufacturer from a network of 900+ companies located around the world.

“The hard part is doing all the steps well,” said Andrew Sanguinet, Director of Industrial Design at Studio One Eleven. “No amount of consumer research means that a design solution can be produced, filled, capped and labeled properly. And you could say the same thing about beautifully-architected products that ignore consumers’ needs. One of the reasons we were so happy to earn ISO certification of our robust process is that it validates the care with which we attend to all aspects of the project.”

“These past twelve months have substantiated our overall approach,” said Jost. “Whether we’re creating a new package for Honest Company, helping define the evolution of an established brand like Turtle Wax, or reviving a storied product like Mylanta, our solutions are built with both the consumer and commercialization in mind. Our ultimate aim, now and in the future, is to help our clients ‘package more profit.’”

Mylanta Returns With New Look – Label & Narrow Web

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Mylanta Returns With New Look – Label & Narrow Web

Mylanta, the well-known antacid brand, has returned to store shelves with a rejuvenated look. Studio One Eleven, a subsidiary of Berlin Packaging, assisted with the new design. Infirst Healthcare Inc. licensed the product from McNeil Consumer Healthcare, and in April it returned to stores like Walmart, Walgreens, Rite Aid, Dollar General, Giant Eagle, Kmart, Kroger and Wegmans.

Mylanta is a commonly recommended brand for heartburn and stomach issues. It left the store shelves in 2010 due to supply issues, but the company has returned with an improved taste, extra coating power and new products. This includes new packaging.

Infirst Healthcare approached Chicago-based Berlin Packaging about redesigning Mylanta’s flagship 12-ounce bottle. Berlin Packaging’s challenge included enticing customers back to the brand after a multi-year hiatus.

“As part of Mylanta’s return to the marketplace, we wanted to refresh our packaging and appeal to today’s consumers,” says Gigi Leporati, marketing director at Digestive Health.  “Our legacy teal bottle was synonymous with the liquid antacid segment, and the new Mylanta needed an equally unique bottle to continue that legacy. The bottle that Berlin designed not only speaks to the iconic Mylanta brand but has a number of convenience features that today’s consumers value.”

Berlin Packaging’s new design has the opportunity to reach a multitude of consumers at the shelves. A recent study by the American College of Gastroenterology said that 60 million American adults experience acid indigestion or heartburn at least once a month, with some 15 million experiencing it daily. The product has returned to the shelves with Mylanta Maximum Strength’s classic lemon mint liquid antacid/anti-gas remedy and a new modern flavor of vanilla caramel.

The bottle needed to promote convenience and ergonomic functionality while conveying the brand’s mantra of fast, soothing relief. “This balance was hugely important to Mylanta because of our loyal brand following,” explains Leporati. “Our design had to be new and modern but not so different that it was unrecognizable for the brand. The next biggest challenge was differentiating our bottle from competition, many of whom had copied our bottle style and color.”

Studio One Eleven created a custom bottle that built on the antacid’s previous brand features. The new packaging includes the calming teal mint color, which is an allusion to the original bottle, but it has been updated with a more contemporary feel.

The tapered, high-density polyethylene bottle has indents on both sides for solid gripping. A new feature involves the inclusion of a clear polypropylene dosage cup that snaps over the bottle cap. This cup, produced in clarified polypropylene, is debossed with the Mylanta name to discourage unintended uses. The dosage cup is secured at retail with a heat-sealed overwrap.

“With 90% brand awareness and a strong brand heritage, Mylanta’s label graphics amplify the look we were trying to achieve with the new bottle shape,” says Leporati.

According to Leporati, the new packaging should resonate with customers. “We expect that the heroic design and impactful graphics will have a positive influence on sales when shoppers see the product pop off the shelf and are reminded of why Mylanta has been a trusted heartburn medicine for all these years,” she adds. “Berlin has the unique capability to provide innovative design in the aesthetic and structural packaging shape, along with the ability to source the containers for us.”

In tandem with Mylanta, Infirst Healthcare is also launching a new line-extension, Mylanta Gas Minis. These tablets come in a pocket sized, tamper-resistant pop-top container from a European packaging vendor. The label graphics were developed in-house, and the packaging promotes portability and convenience. The chewable mini tablets are available in a 50-count pocket pack.

Salt Rubs Get Contemporary Redesign, Flip-Top Closure – Packaging World Magazine

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Salt Rubs Get Contemporary Redesign, Flip-Top Closure – Packaging World Magazine

Morton Salt’s goal with its new line of sea salt rubs was to bring rubs indoors for uses beyond grilling. To meet that goal, Morton’s needed an attention-grabbing, functional, contemporary package that would live as well in the kitchen as it does on the patio. 

Morton Salt turned to Berlin Packaging and its Studio One Eleven design division. Through contextual consumer research, the Studio One Eleven designers found that consumers preferred a sleek-waisted cylinder with a flip-top closure for one-handed use. Housing the three sea salt blends—Italian Roasted Garlic, Cracked Peppercorn and Herb, and Southwest BBQ—the packaging makes it easy to roast, grill, pan fry, or bake any kind of meat or fish. 

Studio One Eleven’s final design, produced from PET, satisfies the dimensional constraints of spice racks. It echoes the proportions of traditional salt and pepper grinders, but with a modern, premium feel. The color-coordinated flip-top cap is presented in Morton Salt’s shade of dark blue. For easy pouring and spreading, the cap is fitted with five 0.3-in. holes, along with an articulated hinge that is easily operated with one hand and stays open when inverted. 

Finished with a full-body shrink-wrap label, the three Morton Sea Salt Rub varieties stand apart from competitors and have been a hit since their December 2015 debut. 

Package Uncaps Laundry Product Fragrance – Packaging World Magazine

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Package Uncaps Laundry Product Fragrance – Packaging World Magazine

Why would you buy a perfume if you couldn’t smell the fragrance first? Likewise, why would you buy a scent booster for your laundry if you weren’t sure you’d like the scent? That’s the issue private-label products company Value Smart Products, Suwanee, GA, sought to address with a new package design for its eight-fragrance in-wash scent booster line.

VSP markets a wide variety of consumer products in major national retail stores. Its primary focus is on private-label laundry and dish detergent and additive products. For its scent booster line, the product was using a three-piece package consisting of the bottle, a flip-top closure, and an overcap for measuring/dosing. “The overcap suffered from several problems,” explains VSP President Drew Harrison. “It was difficult to remove, didn’t match aesthetically, and was not the correct diameter to snap over the flapper cap.”

The biggest disadvantage of the package, however, was that it didn’t allow consumers to smell the fragrance of the booster before buying, leading them to break into the container to do so. “After disassembling the package, many shoppers would not reassemble it, making the product unsalable,” Harrison says.

To solve the challenge, VSP turned to Berlin Packaging and its Studio One Eleven design team in Q4-2014. In addition addressing the sampling issues, VSP also wanted a package that was appropriate for category needs, but was different from national competitors. It also wanted a closure that could fit both a 9.7- and a 13.2-oz bottle while maintaining a seamless overall design.

Berlin recommended replacing the stock flip-top overcap with a threaded polypropylene dosage cup that incorporates an orifice with two very small pinholes that allows the scent to be dispersed outside the bottle. The overcap allows shoppers to test the fragrance with a gentle squeeze of the ribbed PET bottle, without opening the container. And while the orifice allows the scent to escape, at the same time it prevents moisture from entering the package and spoiling the product.

For additional functionality, the flip-top assembly features a smaller overcap that enables consumers to more easily pour and measure the booster. The removable cap also gives users greater convenience in pouring product into high-efficiency, front-loading washing machines.

Since the new package made its debut in August 2015, several retail chains have taken on the product, including Meijer. Says Harrison, “Berlin Packaging’s improvements have dramatically raised the performance of Value Smart’s scent booster at retail and in the home.”

Chic Meets Cheek: Vodka Bottle Design Uses Retro Bar Imagery – Brand Packaging Magazine

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Chic Meets Cheek – Brand Packaging Magazine

Vodka Bottle Design Uses Retro Bar Imagery

BRANDPACKAGING says: The spirits category heavily relies on packaging to catch patrons' eyes as well as get bartenders' approval. It has to be intriguing to customers, stand out behind the counter, and be easy to grab and pour.

Vodka brand BJ Hooker's was founded in 2012. An interview with www.khou.com reveals the brand's origins: "Brothers Wade and Stuart Jones started making vodka a few years ago after learning how to do it on Google. They named their product after their dad, B.J., with whom they also like to fish, thus the name BJ Hooker." 

As you can see, nostalgia played an important part in the brand's name, and the brand tells a backstory to set the tone:

"The History of BJ Hooker’s Premium Vodka began with the first Hooker born in the States, William J. Hooker. OI’ Hooker was a fun loving and free spirited farmer who took great pride in his southern heritage, his freedom, and especially his booze. During those times an overreaching government would not allow a man to enjoy the libation brought forth by Hooker’s American Wheat, so he took it upon himself to produce a liquor of the finest quality for his own medical purposes, and those of his friends of course. It was this fine recipe that enabled BJ Hooker’s to be one of the most sought after beverages in all of the south. Today, we take great care to assure that every bottle matches the supreme quality and is just as smooth, attractive and easy to swallow as the people who drink it.”

The spirits company turned to Berlin Packaging and its design house Studio One Eleven for an interesting design using a special labeling process. Read on for the original story.

Vodka manufacturers typically try to outdo each other with ever-loftier bottle creations that convey the finesse of their product. BJ Hooker’s, a Houston, Texas-based vodka distillery with roots reaching back to Prohibition, took a different approach: a strong bottle design that features 1950’s bar advertising applied with a cutting-edge ceramic labeling process.

BJ Hooker’s is all about fun and Americana. The goal of its new bottle was to retain this playful personality using retro cocktail ads—a BJ Hooker’s signature—and present them in a way that captures the vodka’s handmade, premium quality.

To accomplish the task, Berlin Packaging and its Studio One Eleven design division created a custom glass container that sports the word “Cheers” and a silhouette of the state of Texas prominently embossed on the raised shoulder, along with another Texas logo deeply-debossed atop the bottle backside.

The company’s retro imagery was applied using ACL (Applied Ceramic Labeling), a specialized technique in which ceramic inks are fused to the bottle in a conveyor oven. The process outperforms screen printing by delivering perfect registration quality, even in the 360-degree application used for BJ Hooker’s. The finished bottle, presenting an elegant 3D effect thanks to the four-color ACL process, boldly sets BJ Hooker’s apart in a crowded product category.

BJ Hooker’s has applied the new look to all five of its package sizes. The company is also adapting the design for its new line of flavored vodkas. 

Changing Snacking – Package Design Magazine

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Changing Snacking – Package Design Magazine

Walgreens gives its store brand a fresh new look. 

For the Good & Delish refresh, Walgreens reached out to Berlin Packaging’s Studio One Eleven to redevelop its package design for the nut category of the premium brand.

“They came to us with a few design objectives,” says Liam Hawry, director of industrial design, packaging with Berlin Packaging’s Studio One Eleven. “They wanted to move to the rigid container with visual simplicity and wanted us to look at dispensing.”

At the time, the Good & Delish nuts were in pouches and small canisters.

Studio One Eleven came up with a 3-in. PET container, tapered at the top and bottom, and shrink-wrapped with material that’s clear in the middle so the consumer can see the product.

Walgreen’s delighted in the fact that Studio One Eleven came up with a screw-off PP lid that doubles as a bowl for easier snacking on the go. “It offers a really unique innovation to the package,” says Jodi Kier, brand manager of Owned Brands Walgreens Co.  “[It] gives the consumer convenience and portably access.”

The Good & Delish nuts come in two sizes and are available at any Walgreens around the country.

Berlin Packaging Takes Three Top Honors at 2016 WorldStar Awards

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Berlin Packaging Takes Three Top Honors at 2016 WorldStar Awards

Packages for Permatex, It's a 10 and Celeste Industries Recognized in Global Competition Attracting Entries from 35 Countries

Leading rigid packaging supplier Berlin Packaging today announced it has been honored with three winning entries in the 2016 WorldStar Awards, one of the most prestigious global packaging competitions. Sponsored by the World Packaging Organization, the WorldStar Awards are given only to those packages that have already won recognition in a national competition and are judged to be the best in the world.

The three WorldStar awards add to Berlin Packaging’s strong performance in 2015. With double-digit organic growth and two strategic acquisitions, the company now has more than 150 packaging consultants, more than 100 locations nationwide, a comprehensive array of stock and custom packaging, and a valuation in excess of $1.8 billion. Thousands of customers each year enjoy Berlin's unique Hybrid Packaging Supplier approach, which focuses on quantifiably growing the net income of customers.

Judged by packaging industry experts during the WPO's most recent board meeting in Mumbai, India, Berlin Packaging's winning entries include Permatex Fast Orange Hand Cleaner (household category); It’s a 10 Silk Express in10sives (health and beauty category), done in partnership with Viva Healthcare Packaging; and Celeste Industries Flight Luxe JetScent Hand Soap (other/miscellaneous category).
"WorldStar is the pre-eminent international award in packaging, and this recognition establishes a package as a global leader in innovation, quality and execution," noted Andrew Berlin, Chairman and CEO of Berlin Packaging. "Our company is honored to be recognized this year with not one or two, but with three winners. These solutions are a tribute to the immense dedication of the Berlin team—not only to design excellence, but also to building the best supply chain and ultimately to positively impacting our customers' bottom lines."

Berlin Packaging’s winning package for Permatex Fast Orange hand cleaner redefines the use of disc closures by placing the rocker disc-top on the package bottom. Based on the insight that mechanics and DIYers prefer one-handed soap dispensing while washing their hands, the package allows user to tap the bottom corner of the package to open and dispense product, then tap the spout to close.

It's a 10 Silk Express in10sives brings vitality and elegance to the hair care aisle through a highly innovative use of materials. Berlin's Studio One Eleven design division created the graphics and branding for the product; working in partnership with Viva Healthcare Packaging, Berlin then executed an in-mold foil label onto the plastic tube, accompanied by a flip-top cap with foil hot stamp.

Celeste Industries’ Flight Luxe JetScent is a 2-in-1 hand soap and air freshener package. Thanks to a scent-impregnated collar that drops onto the bottle shoulder before capping, the package eliminates the need to install and replenish two separate systems while reducing bottle weight more than 10%. The striking design also helps modernize the sterile look of typical aircraft lavatories.

Berlin Packaging's winning packages were selected from a highly competitive field of entries from 35 countries. The WorldStar Awards will be presented in Budapest, Hungary in May, 2016.
 

Walgreens Creatively Rethinks Nut Packaging – Packaging World

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Walgreens Creatively Rethinks Nut Packaging – Packaging World

Walgreens, America’s largest drugstore chain, wanted to update packaging for some of its products, including the Good & Delish™ coated and uncoated nuts line.

These products previously had been sold in pouch packaging. But Walgreens wanted a container format that could differentiate, elevate, and refresh the line. So Walgreens asked the Studio One Eleven Design Division of Berlin Packaging to create a rigid container option.

The package design team came up with a container format that combines convenience of consumer use with shelf appeal and merchandising advantages, such as secure stackability. The two-part clear PET cans are injection stretch blow molded by VPET USA, Inc. The containers have 63-mm openings, are three inches in diameter, and are tapered at the bottom. Palm-sized injection-molded polypropylene screw-top closures from Phoenix Closures double as single-serving bowls.

Two unnamed contract packers are handling these products for Walgreens. One of the contractors declined to comment, but the other is using filling equipment from Triangle Package Machinery; code dating, full-body shrink sleeve dispensing, and shrink tunnel equipment are sourced from TriPack. Ultrasonic sealing machinery to apply the inner jar seals is from Enercon Industries. The jar lids are manually applied.

Initially introduced commercially in September 2013, this packaging has been well-received by consumers and by the packaging industry. Product weights are approximately 9 to 13 oz, depending on variety, and retail pricing of the nut products is approximately $6.99. The uncoated nuts are packaged in nitrogen-flushed jars and have an estimated shelf life of 12 months. Coated varieties are not nitrogen-flushed and have estimated shelf life of 9 to 12 months, depending on variety. This new nut container won the Gold Medal at the 2015 National Association of Container Distributors (NACD) Packaging Awards. Regarding the performance and consumer acceptance of the packaging, Walgreens Brand Manager Jodi Kier notes, “Consumers love the portability and versatility of the new packaging. Since launch of the new package, Delish Nuts sales have grown by 23%, outpacing total nut category growth.”