Innocent makes 100% recycled PET switch for all Smoothie bottles

Drinks brand Innocent has put its full range of 10 fruit Smoothies in 100% recycled PET bottles.

The firm claimed a world first last September when it put four flavours – strawberry and banana; pomegranate, blueberry and acai; banana and coconut; and guavi, gogi and mango – in fully recycled 250ml plastic packs.

Innocent made the switch ahead of GlaxoSmithKline, which put its ready-to-drink Ribena bottles in 100% recycled PET a month later.

Innocent will change the colour and shape of its logo so that it resembles the standard recycling symbol, and put it on a limited-edition label during the last two weeks of February to celebrate switching the rest of the Smoothie range to recycled PET bottles.

Innocent sustainability manager Jessica Sansom said: "We created this special label as we really want to make everyone aware of the benefits that moving to recycled bottles has had for us and to encourage everyone out there to take a look at what they can do to reduce their carbon footprint."

The firm said its new 250ml bottle contained 20% less plastic than the original packaging and was 100% food safe.

Innocent will continue to source the recycled plastic from European producers.

The switch to 100% recycled plastic will reduce the firm's carbon footprint by 55% and save 1,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide this year, added Sansom.

The next step will be to source 100% recycled plastic caps for the bottles.

Source: packagingnews

Tecscan launches inspection kit for corrugated

Tecscan Electronics is targeting the corrugated board industry with its Boardwatcher inspection unit for monitoring printing quality.

Gwent-based Tecscan can retrofit the camera and monitor technology to any brand of litho or gravure printing press for corrugated board and cartonboard.

The company said it could be difficult to see the print on a bottom-printing machine, so the first person to see the sheet could be the customer.

The Tecscan Boardwatcher ejects incorrectly printed cartons, and a signal can be sent to stop the feed if more than four consecutive cartons are ejected.

The company has previously supplied systems for narrow-web flexo, litho offset, gravure, security printing and hologram inspection.

Tecscan has already installed two machines at undisclosed locations and it has other orders pending.

Source: packagingnews

EU carbon trading scheme to wipe out paper industry profits

Paper companies have warned that the rising cost of raw materials and the introduction of an EU CO2 carbon emission trading scheme will raise prices and kill off profits.

The Confederation of European Paper Industries (CEPI) said the trading scheme will take £750m out of the European paper industry, effectively wiping out its annual profits.

It described it as the "first direct EU tax in history", as it even stipulates how the monies raised should be spent by member states.

"[The draft legislation] will generate up to £55bn per year in 2020, as the impact assessment shows. This will see the largest amount of money being taken out of the EU economy ever, unprecedented in scale and impact," it said in a statement.

According to Finland's Pellervo Economic Research Institute, the European Commission's draft CO2 emission quota trading legislation will cause price hikes of between 6% and 12% when it comes into effect in 2013.
It said the trading scheme would drive energy costs up by as much as 45%.


"The sector can not pass these extra costs on to final consumers, as it does not set world market prices. Manufacturing costs are already high. The profits and success of European companies is therefore very dependent on their local, European, manufacturing," said CEPI managing director Teresa Presas. "Any additional costs from ETS will further weaken the profitability of the EU industry, especially as global competitors do not face these extra costs."

The rising cost of energy and raw materials is also having an impact in the shorter term, with reports that paper company M-Real has told customers it will be raising prices by between 5% and 8%.

UPM declined to comment on the market outlook.

Source: printweek

How packaging can support a brand's belief system

At an October 2007 conference called Proof: Market Research and Strategy Development for Package Design from the Institute for International Research (www.iirusa.com), Patrick Hanlon, founder and CEO of Thinktopia (www.thinktopia.com), outlined packaging factors that brand stewards can follow to make their brands believable.

All belief systems tell a story; create one for your brand.
Belief systems begin with core principles. Packaging is the perfect vehicle for laying out your brand's creed.

The vitality of a belief system stems from repeated interactions-rituals-between a brand and its believers. In this scenario, packaging becomes a crucial touchpoint.

"Icons" are effective tools for concentrations of meaning that capsulize your brand. They can leap off a package using any of the senses, such as with Pom Wonderful.

Sacred words—special vocabularies with precious meanings—define those who believe in your brand. Packaging presents a sound billboard for presenting them.

By understanding those who don't believe in your brand, you get a clear sense of those who do, helping you to build an architecture around your brand.

Designate a leader.

Source: packworld

Charterhouse opens print management office in Portugal

Charterhouse has built out its European empire by opening an office in Lisbon, Portugal, to cater for a burgeoning client base that includes Renault and Sony.

The opening of the five-staff site follows the creation of offices in Stockholm and Warsaw in 2007, which broadened its initial European beachhead of Amsterdam and Brussels.

It described its European empire building as a recognition of the UK's superior print management skills on the continent.

Charterhouse board director Anthony Hawkins told printweek.com that the moves follow the trends of its customers that increasingly have pan-European requirements.

"Charterhouse has developed strategies alongside its clients to expand its services into Europe – it is a planned growth," he said.

The UK-owned print management firm recently secured a three-year contract with Renault Portugal to produce direct mail and outdoor advertising for the car giant.

The firm works with Renault in the UK, the Netherlands and Belgium.

Hawkins described the opening as "an exciting development for the company", which would allow it to service "not only Renault Portugal but a whole host of European clients more closely".

He added: "We are establishing an impressive base in Europe and expect that side of the business to go from strength to strength in the coming year."


It counts Sony, Unilever and Shell among its other clients.
Source: printweek