Renton, WA (PRWEB) July 13, 2011

Microscan, a global technology leader in barcode, machine vision and lighting solutions, will introduce its new AutoVISION™ family of machine vision products to the Chinese packaging industry at its Booth # 1G56 at ProPak China 2011. Now in its 17th year, the event is China’s premier processing and packaging expo, and takes place July 13-15, 2011 at the Shanghai New International Expo Centre (SNIEC) in Shanghai, China.

Manufacturers in the packaging industry can improve product quality, increase efficiency, and ensure compliance with labeling regulations by automating inspection and identification tasks using machine vision technology. Microscan’s new AutoVISION machine vision products enable users with little to no experience in vision technology to quickly and easily set up applications such as 1D and 2D barcode reading, date and lot code tracking, cap alignment, label verification, and many others.

The AutoVISION family of machine vision products aims to simplify the set-up and deployment of machine vision applications, while providing a powerful tool set for reliable, high performance vision inspection and identification. Products on display at ProPak China 2011 include Microscan’s AutoVISION machine vision software, and the Vision MINI and Vision HAWK smart cameras, both winners of the “2011 Packaging Industry Ringier Innovation Award”:

AutoVISION machine vision software – Developed to shorten the learning curve often associated with machine vision software, AutoVISION provides a complete vision tool set. Real time feedback during programming and device configuration helps time-crunched engineers implement their vision applications with a minimum of effort.

Vision MINI smart camera – As the world’s smallest vision system, the Vision MINI is designed to provide reliable performance in embedded identification and inspection applications. With fully integrated lighting and autofocus lens, its small form factor (46 x 53 x 25 mm) allows for flexible positioning in tight spaces. The Vision MINI smart camera can be operated by either the intuitive AutoVISION software or Microscan’s more advanced Visionscape® software.

Vision HAWK smart camera – This flexible, industrial smart camera is suitable for a wide range of inspection applications. It is designed for easy set-up and operation, with cutting edge liquid lens technology for unlimited autofocus. Like the Vision MINI, the Vision HAWK can be set up and operated with either the AutoVISION or Visionscape software interface for maximum flexibility.

About Microscan
Microscan is a global leader in technology for precision data acquisition and control solutions serving a wide range of automation and OEM applications. Founded in 1982, Microscan has a strong history of technology innovation that includes the invention of the first laser diode barcode scanner and the 2D symbology, Data Matrix. Today, Microscan remains a technology leader in automatic identification and machine vision with extensive solutions for ID tracking, traceability and inspection ranging from basic barcode reading up to complex machine vision inspection, identification, and measurement.

As an ISO 9001:2008 certified company recognized for quality leadership in the U.S., Microscan is known and trusted by customers worldwide as a provider of quality, high precision products. Microscan is a Spectris company.

Source of PR:http://www.prweb.com/releases/2011/7/prweb8639079.htm

You’ll need to fill it with your own reusable containers, because cereal boxes and beer bottles will be a thing of the past at In.gredients, a new-age grocery store opening in Austin later this year.

The company behind the idea says the concept is to create a shopping experience that forgoes any kind of packaging and instead lets customers buy as much or as little as they need by filling their own containers.

“Essentially it’s a very simple model, a throwback to old times,” said In.gredients co-founder Joseph Lane of Brothers Lane, LLC, which consists of Lane, his two brothers, and a friend of the family. “We were looking at a way of using these old methods to make it more convenient and easier for customers to participate in a zero waste lifestyle.”

The vision for a package-less grocery store, the first in the United States, involves customers shopping with their own containers, therefore purchasing the exact amounts that they need to take home.

Lane, whose team has backgrounds in IT management and business process consulting, said that the idea came after they began to think back to their childhoods and were looking for a new business venture that promotes environmental sustainability.

Their original plan was to sell just beer and wine, but their visions has now developed into a full-fledged grocery store that will offer local produce, grains, spices, baking ingredients, oils, coffees/teas, meats, dairy and household cleaners, as well as beer and wine.

“We put our creative heads on. It goes back to being kids — you get this box of cereal and you don’t want the box or the bag, you just want the cereal,” said Lane.

Another component of the project, said Lane, is to follow a trend that he says is leaning toward Americans wanting to buy in bulk as opposed to traditional quantities. He believe that shopping this way will also be a cheaper option for shoppers.

“If you look at bulk foods, they are 35 percent cheaper than their packaged food equivalents. You’re not paying for marketing, or additional packaging, and you can also buy as little or as much as you need,” said Lane.

But Howard S. Schiffman, a professor of environmental conservation education at NYU, said that although the idea is a step in a good direction, the company may be overlooking the importance of packaging products. Though it may cost more, packaging does prevent foods from going bad. That allows retailers to keep inventories on the shelves for a longer period of time, saving the business the manpower and money that would otherwise be spent repeatedly restocking.

“It’s overall a wonderful idea and might change thinking on sustainability, but there’s something they need to keep an eye on,” said Schiffman. “There’s something we get from packaging, it can help keep things fresh and reduces spoilage.”

“But if they can address that problem or sell in high volume, that might be something to compensate.”

Source: ABC NEWS

Since the company’s inception in 1989, Fernqvist has provided thermal, ready-to-print labels that allow variable data to be added using thermal printers.  Fernqvist has been able to reduce cost and time to market for hundreds of companies utilizing their premimum, ready-to-apply labels as a way to attract buyer attention.  The manufacturing facilities are fully automated to enable Fernqvist to be one of the most competitively priced label manufacturers in the country.  With added capabilities such as thermal transfer printable UV protective coatings, and new high-end flexographic presses, Fernqvist meets on-demad high-quality label production in up to 7 colors!

To request a quote from Fernqvist for your labeling needs please CLICK HERE

Massachusetts-Based Pioneer Packaging
Speaks Out Against EPR

 
SPRINGFIELD, MA—On June 6, 2011, Jeff Shinners, President of Pioneer Packaging and a member of the Paperboard Packaging Council (PPC) and Kim Guarnaccia, Director of Marketing and Communications at PPC, met with business leaders at the Chicopee City Hall in Chicopee, MA to oppose a proposed Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) resolution. After supporters and opponents to the resolution made their presentations to the City Council, the councilmen unanimously rejected the resolution.
 
The EPR resolution as presented to the Chicopee City Council proposed transferring responsibility for product and packaging disposal costs from local towns to brand owners and importers. Although the resolution suggested that electronic waste would be the initial focus of any implemented EPR program in Massachusetts, it also included packaging in its mandate.
 
While Jeff Shinners of Chicopee-based Pioneer Packaging supported the basic tenets of EPR, he and other local businesspeople opposed the resolution because it did not exempt paperboard packaging, which is already recycled at a high rate. “Our voluntary recycling program for paper-based packaging already works incredibly well so [paperboard packaging] should be exempt from the proposed EPR program,” explained Shinners. “I say this because the potentially expensive cost of managing and administering a complex EPR program will far outweigh the minor benefits of a point or two increase in paper recycling, an increase that will be achieved soon enough with our existing voluntary recycling program.”
 
There is also a concern that EPR programs will adversely affect businesses. “Any added cost for recovering recycled paper and board will no doubt be passed on to those who purchase paper—namely, packaging companies such as mine,” said Shinners. He then added, “In these tough economic times, brand owners will resist increasing their prices, opting instead to pass the financial burden of EPR fees onto their suppliers, such as packaging companies. Adding unnecessary fees to the cost of doing business will make a company such as mine less competitive and may cost both my firm and the city jobs.”
 
Indeed, paperboard packaging is one of the few success stories around. According to research conducted in 2010 by the research firm R.W. Beck, 92% of all Massachusetts residents have access to curbside recycling. The study also found that last year, a record-high 63% of paper and paperboard was recovered for recycling in the U.S., an average of 334 pounds for each man, woman, and child. In fact, by 2020, the American Forest and Paper Association (AF&PA) has set a voluntary recycling goal for paper of over 70%.
 
For more information on Extended Producer Responsibility, visit www.ppcnet.org/EPR.
 
 

SOURCE:
 
CONTACT INFORMATION
Kim Guarnaccia
Director of Marketing & Communications
Paperboard Packaging Council
413.686.9193
kim@ppcnet.org

Corina Dumitrescu

There are an estimated 10-12 packaging design players on the local market, of which only six are “specialized and dedicated” agencies, says Simona Straut, managing director of Cocoon Group Bucharest. To Straut, although the market has significant potential for growth, it will be years before it actually reaches its true value. “The packaging design market in Romanian is still at the beginning, not yet well developed, and there is still room for growth and for more professionalism. The issue remains the fact that professional local agencies are very few compared to the market needs. Plus, clients are still learning, they are working a lot with advertising agencies in this area or with freelancers.” As Straut added, in spite of the crisis and the current negativism, there is room for expansion for the agency – “we’d like to run other countries in the region from the Bucharest office”.

Pursuing a career in this area puts a lot of emphasis on professional background. “You need at least five-seven years of work experience to be considered a good packaging designer. This is a huge time investment from one person and few are willing to make it. You need passion, patience and knowledge to achieve this experience and that is why this job is not so glamorous for many people compared to other options from the creative industry, such as basic advertising,” adds Straut.

The costs of a package design project can start from EUR 8,000 and reach sums in the region of EUR 25,000, depending on the complexity, estimates Andreea Florea of Brandtailors. In terms of market value, Straut puts the current figure at around EUR 2.5 million. Florea says it is difficult to give an accurate estimate, but sees brand packaging as currently representing “35-40 percent of the local branding industry, which we estimated at about EUR 3.5 million for both 2009 and 2010.”

Local or global?

It is rare for international brands to adapt their packaging to the local market, experts say. “International brands that are imported tend to only apply the labeling law according to Romanian market specifics and local regulatory affairs. There are very few cases when the international brands that are sold in Romania make specific claims for the local market (e.g. ‘no preservatives’, ‘no added sugar’, etc.). The most common is to add ‘new’/ ‘nou’ on the pack in the local country’s language when it is a new product. As you can see by glancing at supermarket shelves, the international products usually have three-four languages on their packaging no matter where the production factory is located (Romania or elsewhere), but certainly, those are the languages from the region they are active in,” says Straut. She adds, “What should be locally specific is the strategy and brand positioning.”

Offering a regional perspective, Mick Cassel, brand development director at Cocoon Group, continues Straut’s idea. “In the case of international lifestyle brands, it is not in their long-term interest to accommodate localization because their very rationale is that they bring to each market international offers and lifestyles. So, only if there were something terribly wrong – for example if their brand name meant something rude in a certain language – would a change be necessary. Otherwise, it would be contrary to what they want to achieve.” As he adds, the use of an international language in a brand’s communication takes the targeted customer to a different place, another “brand world”.

However, not everyone agrees. “Brands must adapt to local customers’ tastes and likes, yet always need to be ahead of the market and reflect the international trend. Therefore there should be a mix of local and international elements, colors, look and feel, opening mechanism and materials,” argues Roland Kunst, owner of Die Kunstfabrik.

Irina Ilie, associate director at Brandient, has noticed an international trend of simplifying packaging, that is also visible in Romania. “From time to time, we can see local promotions featured on the packaging, but still respecting the (global) master design, thus keeping the unity and consistency of the brand. During the past two-three years we have noticed that international brands have been trying to simplify and unify their brand portfolio and packaging design around the globe, resulting in master designs that are similar in many countries.”

Paul Markovits, marketing director at Heineken Romania, offers the perspective of an international brand seeking to consolidate its position on the local market. “As compared to a local brand, for global brands the most important aspect is to be aligned and consistent everywhere. Any adaptation will be in line with what the consumers expect from the brand. For example, this year, the Heineken UEFA Champions League was adapted to reflect the fact that this year’s final was at Wembley Stadium in London, also known as The Temple of Football.”

The situation is, however, different for the domestic brands in the Heineken portfolio. “The packaging of these brands reflects the personality of the brand and, at the same time, responds to consumers’ requests. Some examples are: the ring -pull for the Ciuc Premium bottle, the shape of the PET packaging, the shape and colors of the bottles and the type and size of the pack are related to the key strategic channels that must fit with the key driver of beer consumption etc.” It is, in fact, these local brands that generate a significant part of the company’s profit. “During 2010, the volume of Heineken Romania was up 6 percent compared to 2009. The growth was especially driven by the Ciuc Premium and Bucegi brands and shows that the company’s strategy to permanently support and invest in its brands has brought results,” continues Markovits.

Nicoleta Eftimiu, senior marketing manager for Romania and Moldova in sparkling soft drinks at Coca-Cola Romania, an acknowledged leader in global branding, believes, however, that for her company the most important aspect is for “the package to reflect the brand identity. Evidently, the choice of type and dimensions for the package will be in accordance with the brand, the local needs of consumers, as well as the local regulations.” As a FMCG brand, Coca-Cola both locally and internationally prints its label information very visibly for consumers to be able to make informed decision about their daily diet.

All in all, “in the case of international brands, adapting the package design according to local specifics is not a matter of right or wrong – it depends very much on the brand characteristics and extension strategy. For example, Coca-Cola takes a more consistent global approach to package design, whereas the 7Up brand has different package design concepts in different markets. Generally, heritage brands or long established brands are more resistant to changing their package design, both over time and from one country to another, while younger or more modern brands are open to these types of changes,” concludes Florea.

Local trends in brand packaging

So what types of packaging catch the eye of the local consumer? Dan Pavel, creative director at Brandart, says, “Romanians are emotional and have a pronounced Latin character.

They respond positively to the new, but are not faithful to a certain brand. Quality is considered an ideal; it’s price that determines whether they choose to buy a product or not. Romanians enjoys trying many brands, and consider all of them of mediocre quality. (…) They readily combine a French perfume with second-hand clothes, or eat Romanian ‘mici’ with a side of Belgian beer. They are not that fond of labels, but do not hesitate to show off when given the opportunity.” Counterintuitively, Pavel adds, “Romanians put more value on a Romanian product of questionable quality, than on a sophisticated product.” 

Liviu Stan, managing partner at paint producer Dufa, says that the best packaging in his field has some requirements. “In retail, packaging with light-colored labels that offer clear information on the use and quality of the product is the best. More importantly, the brand needs to be very visible. Well-done brand packaging can boost sales,” he adds.

Products on the local market also need to constantly reinvent themselves in order to keep up with the ever-changing trends.

Florea from Brandtailors argues, “There is no recipe regarding the right period of time after which a package design needs to be replaced – one solution can prove to be appropriate for more than ten years in a stable category, but another may need to be changed every two or three years in a constantly evolving market context. An interesting phenomenon that we sometimes witness is the change of a visual paradigm across entire categories – when a powerful global player or a daring challenger brand enters a market, it creates a domino effect and spreads change across the whole category. In these cases, it is very important that the established brands react to the change in terms of package design and keep up with the pace, because it is very difficult for a brand that is left behind to recover if it is not appropriately rejuvenated in due time.”

Pavel says he has observed that locally, international brands are losing ground to national ones. “Driving this trend is the public’s loss of faith in products whose marketing has nothing to do with Romanian consumer culture. Most of the time, the country’s major agencies translate the communication type from the Western world, without a true interest in Romanian psychology. The result is a decrease in the level of consumer confidence and sub-par sales.”

Source: corina.dumitrescu@business-review.ro ; http://business-review.ro/links/packaging-packs-a-punch-on-local-market/11695/

Also express concerns about extended producer responsibility

Sixty CEOs and other top executives from some of Europe and North America’s leading food and beverage convenience and service packaging companies met last month in Barcelona, Spain to talk trash, specifically the trash created when their products are not properly disposed. The meeting, organized by trade groups representing the convenience and foodservice packaging industry, was held as EU legislators debated a continent-wide ban or tax on thin plastic shopping bags, according to a report by Plastics Today.

The legislators have asked for comment on the possible ban/tax from industry and others, and are still collecting data, but the packaging processor executives who met in Barcelona realize their products are under the watchful eye of lawmakers around the world who often view plastic packaging, and especially shopping bags, as an easy mark in new laws designed to protect the environment.

But Daniele Simonazzi, owner of Italian plastic cup/plate/cutlery processor FLO Spa and current president of trade group Pack2Go Europe, argued at the meeting that legislation is not the answer to litter. “The solution is to change the attitudes and behavior of people who deliberately or carelessly dispose of waste in town and countryside and to improve waste collection and management everywhere,” said Simonazzi. “Putting in place legislation that discriminates against, for example, certain types of packaging is going to displace the problem, not solve it.”

Simonazzi was joined at the event by executives from packaging processors including Europe’s deSter, Nupik, Seda and Solo Europe and North America’s Cascades, Fabri-Kal, Georgia Pacific, International Paper, and Pactiv. This was the sixth joint European/North American packaging processors’ summit in the last 10 years. The event was organized by Pack2Go Europe, Europe’s convenience food and beverage packaging association, and North America’s Foodservice Packaging Institute.

Another item on the processors’ agenda at the meeting was the topic of extended producer responsibility. European packaging processors have dealt with this since the 1994 European packaging directive, which forced food and beverage suppliers to set aside funds to help support recycling initiatives, with the obvious implications for processors of packaging.

Packaging processors in the U.S. face a similar challenge – not nationally, yet, but rather in the growing number of uncoordinated local and state initiatives. Steve Claus of Belgium’s Fost Plus green dot recycling scheme told the executives attending that the lesson from Europe was that effectiveness and cost efficiency stem from industry and government working together. Above all, separate collection, sorting and recycling should be introduced in a step-by-step manner.

Executives at the meeting also agreed that a clear, simple and unique set of definitions and measurements for sustainability was essential to work in a focused way towards the environmental goals set out by governments in the EU and North America. “Governments, manufacturers, brand owners, NGOs and consumers all have their own definition of sustainability and their own ways to measure it. Each of these players can contribute in its own way towards a sustainable world, but we all need to speak the same language to do so,” stated Tony Waters, CEO of Solo Cup Europe. “There is a need to create a coherent network of physical infrastructure and education, so that efforts can be channeled in the right direction,” he added.

Source: Plastics Today

www.plasticstoday.com

WEDNESDAY, June 8 (HealthDay News) — Dieters are more likely than non-dieters to be misled by food names, a new study says.

For example, dieters rated food items with names such as “salad” as being healthier than identical products with names such as “pasta,” while non-dieters made no such distinctions.

Dieters also believed that candy labeled “fruit chew” was healthier than the same candy when it was labeled “candy chew,” and ate more of the candy when it was called fruit chews, said the University of South Carolina researchers.

“The fact that people’s perceptions of healthfulness vary with the name of the food item isn’t surprising. What is interesting is that dieters, who try to eat healthy and care about what they eat, fell into these ‘naming traps’ more than non-dieters who really don’t care about healthy eating,” study author Caglar Irmak, an assistant professor of marketing, said in a university news release.

The findings from the study of more than 520 people suggest that dieters rely on food names to identify supposedly healthy foods, Irmak explained. Instead, dieters need to focus on reading nutritional information on food products and restaurant menus.

“These results should give dieters pause. The study shows that dieters base their food decisions on the name of the food item instead of the ingredients of the item. As a result, they may eat more than what their dieting goals prescribe,” Irmak said.

The study appears in the August issue of the Journal of Consumer Research.

I.D. Images LLC, a Brunswick based label converter, released a new white paper offering recommendations to packaging distributors on how to succeed during tough economic times. The white paper is written by Brian Gale, I.D. Images president and active TLMI member.

The paper covers eight common challenges that packaging distributors face. The first challenge discussed is the perception that packaging is a commodity. Brian suggests that distributors combat this perception by discussing their customers’ business processes and challenges with them. He states that “Focusing on the bigger picture will help your customer understand the importance and value of packaging.” He goes on to say, “Packaging is a critical component of how we choose what we buy. While most industrial packaging will never been seen by the consumer, it does play an important role in getting product to consumers undamaged and in an efficient manner. An efficient use of packaging materials is a competitive advantage. That advantage does not always have to be price driven. Reducing damaged product, improving supply chain efficiency, and providing protection against theft, counterfeiting, and tampering are all vital roles packaging plays.”

The other challenges touch on different topics from value proposition differentiation to raw material increases.

For a free copy of the report, go to http://www.idimages.com/biggest-challenges-packaging-distributors-face.pdf

I.D. Images, a leading manufacturer of converted label media, specializes in providing label solutions for supply chain management to brand protection. The company serves varied markets including Transport and Logistics, Food and Beverage, Consumer Durables and Healthcare to name a few. I.D. Images’ comprehensive product offering includes thermal transfer labels, ribbons, direct thermal, laser and Integrated labels and cards, on various paper and film or synthetic substrates. In addition, I.D. Images offers significant custom label capabilities including spot and digital printing, multi-web laminations and die-cutting. I.D. Images maintains manufacturing and distribution locations in Cleveland (Brunswick), Cincinnati, Chicago, and Charlotte. I.D. Images sells exclusively through distribution with a primary focus on packaging distributors, value added resellers and other label converters.

Brunswick, OH (PRWEB) June 09, 2011