Flexible Packaging and Label Specialists HOMEABOUT USPRODUCTSCAPABILITIESCONTACT US CUT AND STACK LABELS, FLEXIBLE PACKAGING, PRESSURE SENSATIVE LABELS, SHRINK SLEEVES GROWING YOUR BUSINESS THROUGH CUSTOM PACKAGING & LABEL DESIGN MAY 31, 2018 There are so many different facets of running a business, products being made for sale would be just one of them. One of the keys to being successful is to come up with ways to improve sales and to encourage them to continue coming back in the future. There is plenty of research that would indicate that since people are highly visually motivated, that it would make much more sense to put an extra amount of attention to figure out what is it that would help to get more people to see your products and to make purchases. Which means in order to drive more traffic you would need to give your buyers more reasons to stick around. Once you identify what your buyers are attracted about your products, you must set out to come up with custom packaging and unique labeling designs that will grab them and encourage them to buy and to continue to come back and want more. For this article, we put together a list of the Top 5 ways that a business can use custom product packaging to their advantage. 5 Ways to Grow Your Business using Custom Product packaging and label Product branding is everything – The ability for a business to grow and thrive often is directly related to its ability to expand its brand recognition. It is also important to protect your branding at all times to ensure it is not harmed. Custom packaging attracts more potential customers: One of the big reasons why custom packaging is very important is that people, in general, are frequently visually motivated and having custom packaging can help a business get more attention. Seasonal promotions using custom packaging and labeling: Special promotions are often centered around seasons and holidays which are often used by businesses to come up with unique packaging and labeling in order to attract more customers. Let your creative side shine with custom packaging: When it comes to packaging your products that your business makes and sells you have total freedom to design your packaging in order to attract the buyers for your products. Specialized packaging will send your sales through the roof: It is pretty well known that buyers are often influenced by a number of different factors when it comes to what makes them more likely to purchase certain types of products. Custom packaging can be found in a number of shapes and types Custom packaging like shrink sleeve labeling and also flexible packaging are two of the more popular types of specialized packaging that businesses have found that help to attract more customers to their products over the products from competitors. By using shrink sleeves on certain products allows you to give your prospective customers a 360° view of your labeling and branding. The flexible packaging gives your business the ability to create unique looking packaging that can be found with different types of coatings and materials that will help fit your needs. Learn more about Anchor Printing and their vast line of custom product label & packaging options including: Shrink Sleeve Labels, Flexible Packaging, Roll-Fed Labeling, Pressure Sensitive and Cut & Stack Labels at http://www.anchorprinting.com. To contact one of our label specialists call toll free at 800.748.0209 or via email at info@anchorprinting.com. CUSTOM LABEL DESIGNFLEXIBLE PACKAGINGPRODUCT LABEL DESIGNPRODUCT LABEL MANUFACTURERPRODUCT PACKAGINGSHRINK SLEEVES INDUSTRY NEWS DE-SEAMING ADHESIVE ALLOWS FOR REMOVAL OF SHRINK-SLEEVE LABELS DURING RECYCLING MAY 30, 2018 Sun Chemical has launched its SunLam™ De-seaming Adhesive for shrink-labeled containers, developed in partnership with Eastman. This new de-seamable adhesive helps recyclers improve rPET yield without process changes and was extensively tested on labels made with Eastman Embrace™ LV copolyester. It has received a Responsible Innovation Acknowledgment by the Association of Plastic Recyclers after passing stringent testing outlined by the APR. By changing from a traditional solvent to SunLam De-seaming Adhesive, shrink labels de-seam and release during the whole bottle wash step of the wet recycling process, without sacrifice of label performance. The label removal occurs prior to color, infrared, and manual sorting, thus preventing shrink-labeled PET bottles being removed from the rPET stream due to misidentification. The efficacy of SunLam De-seaming Adhesive was tested on bottles with shrink sleeves made from Eastman Embrace. The tests utilized whole bottle wash equipment at commercial recycling facilities and yielded results of greater than 95% label removal, with results typically exceeding 99%. “When the challenge of removing shrink labels during PET recycling was brought to the industry’s attention by the APR and the National Association for PET Container Resources in 2012, Eastman stepped up to the challenge and organized a consortium to collaborate on ways to solve this issue,” says Ronnie Little, Market Development Manager, Eastman. “PET bottle bales typically contain five percent shrink-labeled PET bottles. Many of those labels do not come off in the PET recycling process, reducing rPET yield. We’re pleased to have partnered with Sun Chemical in this process to develop a technology that satisfies the consumer’s desire to recycle, a brand’s goal to be both responsible and recognizable, and the APR’s mission to eliminate barriers to successful commercial recycling.” “Consumers and brand owners alike expect PET bottles to be recycled, but unfortunately, far too many end up in landfills because the label wouldn’t come off,” says Russell Schwartz, CTO, Sun Chemical. “At Sun Chemical, we consider it our responsibility to address issues in the industries in which we participate and to provide leadership in resolving problems our partners and customers face. On learning of these concerns, we initiated a major project to solve this industry-wide challenge. We are pleased to introduce the environmentally friendly SunLam De-seaming Adhesive as part of our contribution to the circular economy.” Original Source: https://www.greenerpackage.com/adhesives_coating_inks/de-seaming_adhesive_allows_removal_shrink-sleeve_labels_during_recycling Original Date: Mar 30 2018 Written By: Anne Marie Mohan CUT AND STACK LABELS, PRESSURE SENSATIVE LABELS 7 REASONS WHY YOUR COMPANY NEEDS CUSTOMIZED PRODUCT LABELS & PACKAGING MAY 23, 2018 With so much competition out there these days, you need to do everything possible to stand out from your competition. A great way to not only stand above the rest, but also help brand your company in the marketplace, is to opt for customized product labels and packaging. This will help differentiate your brand from others in the same niche and provide your company with credibility with your consumers. Here are some more reasons why you need to opt for custom product labeling for your brand: Custom Labels Create Unique Products When you have generic labeling, you will look like many others who don’t want to invest in custom product labeling. In order to engage prospective consumers, you need to be unique, which is what customized flexible pouches do. Ease of Marketing When you have custom product labeling, you can easily market your goods better. You can create an entire marketing campaign around the fact that you have new product labeling, which will appeal to potential customers. Brand Expansion If you’re expanding the brand into new markets, this might be a great time to go with customized product labels. Growing Your Brand If your brand is growing and you’re adding new products, you’ll need to get new labels and flexible pouches, and this would be the perfect time to get them customized so that they have the look and feel of your brand, alerting consumers that the product is new but still from your company. Increased Relevancy As customers ‘tastes evolve over time, your old labels might not be appealing to them anymore, which is why you’d want to stay fresh and opt for custom product labeling that might feature updated colors or logos that will make your brand fresh and relevant. Grabbing Consumers Attention To really make your labels pop, you’ll want something unique and attention grabbing, which is what you’ll be able to achieve when you order customized product labels that will easily grab the attention of all. Redefining Your Company If your company has been in business for a while, your message might be outdated since you’ve most likely come out with new products, services, etc. so new customized product labels will reflect any new messaging from your company. Learn more about Anchor Printing and their vast line of custom product label & packaging options including: Shrink Sleeve Labels, Flexible Packaging, Roll-Fed Labeling, Pressure Sensitive and Cut & Stack Labels at http://www.anchorprinting.com. To contact one of our label specialists call toll free at 800.748.0209 or via email at info@anchorprinting.com. CUSTOM LABEL DESIGNFLEXIBLE PACKAGINGPRODUCT LABEL DESIGNPRODUCT LABEL MANUFACTURERPRODUCT PACKAGINGSHRINK SLEEVES INDUSTRY NEWS CHILL-CAN PRESENTS A NEW TWIST IN ON-DEMAND COLD BEVERAGES MAY 22, 2018 Nothing is quite as refreshing as a cold drink. Yet with consumers’ busy lives, always on the go, we don’t always have access to refrigeration when we need it. New technology for a self-chilling can improves its manufacturability, making it a viable option for more brands. And, without the need for ice cubes, self-chilling beverages don’t get watered down, giving consumers a better flavor experience. The updated technology also simplifies the activation process—from the previous push button to a twist—and changes to a safer activation ingredient. The new two-piece aluminum Chill-Can from The Joseph Co. now uses liquefied CO2 as the active coolant. Instructions are pretty simple: Turn can upside down, twist the can’s plastic base (which is now at the top) to activate the Heat Exchange Unit (HEU), wait about 75 to 90 seconds for the cooling process to complete, and then turn the can upright, open and enjoy. Watch the video above. Chilling time depends on the package and the HEU can be sized and shaped appropriately for a package/product. The HEU weighs approximately 150 grams and, once activated, lowers the product’s temperature about 30 degrees. The Joseph Co. has 31 patents that cover the basis of the technology, the manufacturing process and the HEU coatings. The self-chilling cans are made in The Joseph Co.’s Irvine, CA, manufacturing plant, where they also do research and development—and have access to an ideal test market. A new plant in Youngstown, OH, for light production and distribution, is scheduled to open fall 2018 and is expected to be fully operational in summer 2019. The company also does research and development and small production for Western Europe from its U.K. facility. Mitchell Joseph, chairman/CEO of The Joseph Co. Intl. and West Coast Chill, explains more about the trends driving the need for a next-generation self-chilling package. What consumer trends point to the need for self-chilling packaging? Joseph: Trends that are both socially based and economically based have increased the demand for a self-chilling can. The globalization of smartphones and high-speed internet have created societies that have become accustomed to having what they want, on demand. It has not only changed how people consume, but where they can consume. This type of mindset has translated over into the world of convenience. The Chill-Can answers the call and is the only commercialized package that chills on demand and stays colder longer than a can taken out of a conventional refrigerator. Conversely, there are many economic regions around the world—in areas as close as 20 miles outside of major metropolitan cities—that lack proper refrigeration. The Chill-Can offers the opportunity to provide an ice cold drink on demand in those areas without major investments in refrigeration infrastructure. Major beverage companies view this as a huge opportunity to reach markets that desire their products but are unable to consume due to lack of refrigeration. How is this Chill-Can technology different from previous self-chilling packages? Specifically, your company developed the self-chilling can for West Coast Chill energy drink in 2012. What has changed from that development? Joseph: The first iteration of the Chill-Can, which was licensed to Pepsi, used HFC134A as its main activating agent. Production of that technology was halted over concerns regarding the global warming potential of HFC134A. The “Activated Carbon” technology that was introduced in 2012 was environmentally friendly but presented a few barriers in mass production. First and foremost, there were pressure profile limitations within the Heat Exchange Unit (HEU) for this version of the technology. Secondly, the activated carbon was ascertained via pulverized and incinerated coconut shells and there was a concern about the long term supply of that source for our activated carbon. Lastly, there was a concern if the pricing, even with large volumes, could be decreased over time using this technology. Therefore, after 25 years of research and development, we are excited to present our current, patented liquefied CO2-based Chill-Can. Although it has been a long journey, we would have never achieved what we have today without the previous two versions as they unlocked the steps that led us to where we are today. What is the pressure exerted on the contents of the can during the chilling process? Does this limit the types of products that can be chilled with this technology? Joseph: Given that the beverage never comes in contact with the inner part of the HEU, there is no pressure exerted on the contents of the can during the chilling process. Secondly, there are no real limitations to the type of liquid we can chill. Really anything that can be humanly consumed can be packaged in a Chill-Can. In some extreme cases, we may need to make some adjustments based on the viscosity of some drinks, but that is an easy adjustment to make. Instructions say to twist the bottom cap clockwise to activate. What happens when the cap is twisted to trigger the process? Joseph: Once the can is fully activated, and any time after that, the cap can still be twisted in a clockwise manner, but the movement is inconsequential and will have no effect on the can following activation completion. Why change to a twist activation from the earlier push button? Joseph: Consumer focus test results showed that a twist activation was superior to a push button for two main reasons. First, the twist activation requires a simple clockwise twist to activate, where the button required a slightly more pressure push of the button which left people confused on how much pressure they needed to apply to activate. And second, consumers with long fingernails felt that the push button would be too hard to activate. The twist activation resulted in a better engineered system that required fewer parts during manufacturing. Will West Coast Chill be switching over to the new twist-activation cans? Joseph: Yes, all products will use the twist activation going forward. The bottom cap only twists in the clockwise direction. Is this to make it more intuitive to activate or is there another reason(s)? Joseph: Yes. This is to make it more intuitive and straightforward for activating. You say the can will stay colder for longer than a can taken out of a conventional refrigerator by more than 30 minutes. How? Why? Joseph: When a can is taken out of the refrigerator and/or a cooler, it is immediately warming up based on the outside temperature of the air/atmosphere. The Chill-Can, because it is chilling from the inside-out, continues to chill the beverage by more than 30 minutes. Despite the air temperature, the outside walls of the HEU, which stay in contact with the beverage until it is consumed, are ice cold and will continue to cool the beverage. This feature is viewed as just as revolutionary as the chill on-demand aspect of the Chill-Can. It’s especially appealing to consumers who are continually frustrated that, if they don’t drink an entire can quickly, the last third of the can is undrinkable because the beverage is too warm. What is the product-to-package ratio of an 8.4 fl-oz can? Joseph: The HEU obviously causes a displacement factor in the can. We chose 8.4 ounces of fluid originally for West Coast Chill because, for an energy drink, that amount was standard for the market leader at the time. The can samples provided to Packaging Digest were 16-oz cans. We certainly could provide more liquid in the can as needed. However, the HEU will cause about 4 ounces of displacement in a 16-oz can. What types of containers can the HEU be incorporated into? Aluminum, obviously. Steel? Plastic? Paper? Glass? Joseph: Currently, aluminum and steel, but ongoing research and development is being done on all types of containers and materials. The 8.4-fl-oz sample can is about 6.5 inches tall. How does this fit on most store shelves? Joseph: The sample provided was in a standard 16-oz can and would fit on a shelf or display just as easily as any standard, conventional 16-oz can would. How does the HEU change product filling? Slower speeds? Joseph: HEU necessitates only slight modifications to any standard filling line and can be easily done in conjunction with The Joseph Co. This will only result in a minor slowing of production speed. How well does the Chill-Can run on automatic packaging lines? It seems like the weight of the can is pretty balanced. Joseph: Currently, the Chill-Can is only assembled on our manufacturing lines. Product filling can be done on outside filling line as just described. What applications can best benefit from this technology? Joseph: We feel we can apply our self-contained, self-chilling technology to all aspects of the beverage industry, as well as to sports medicine, the medical field as a whole, and every corner of the packaging world that requires any kind of cooling. The Joseph Co. can provide the solution for any business application that requires cooling without outside energy. Can this be used for carbonated beverages? Joseph: Yes. Carbonated beverages and any and all beverages that are suitable for human consumption. How is the Chill-Can recyclable? Joseph: All parts of the can are aluminum with about 5% of the parts being plastic. Both materials are 100% recyclable. At this time, we are crafting a Recapture Program modeled after similar successful programs in Sweden. Someday we hope to be able to recapture large percentages of the cans and reuse some of the parts in production of new Chill-Cans. The technology is ready for commercialization. Do you have any customers lined up yet? Joseph: The technology will be licensed to Joseph-owned West Coast Chill and private-label beverages produced under the Joseph banner, such as Panther Punch, which is currently sold in a conventional can in South Florida via licensing with the Florida Panthers of the National Hockey League (NHL). Mutual non-disclosure agreements prevent us from sharing with you at this time the multiple global beverage companies and retailers whom are under license or under consideration for a license at this time. How much does the Chill-Can cost? Have you done any calculations on possible savings from eliminating the need for refrigeration during shipping/storage/display? Joseph: Volume will always dictate price. Consumer focus tests have yielded results that show the consumer is willing to pay a premium for the opportunity to have their favorite beverage in a chill-on-demand package. [Editor’s note: For the West Coast Chill energy drink can, on-demand chilling added $1.50 to the cost of the product and, according to Joseph, “We couldn’t keep them on the shelf.”] Two life cycle analysis studies do indeed show the huge, positive impact that the elimination of refrigeration will provide. How are you able to guarantee 100% product / package safety, and what does “100% guaranteed safe” mean? Joseph: This is why it has taken 25 years to get here. In that time, we have been given awards by the United States EPA [Environmental Protection Agency], gained Department of Transportation approval for shipping the Chill-Can, and have subjected the Chill-Can to years of safety testing to assure the safety of the product. In fact, the can itself is equipped with a safety mechanism that if somehow the can was put in a situation where it could “fail” (which is highly unlikely), it would simply self-activate 100% safely. Development and refinement of the Chill-Can has taken 25 years. What key lessons have you learned during this process? Joseph: Excellent question! We have learned patience and resiliency. We have learned that safety must be our highest priority followed by activation reliability, and of course cooling performance. We believe the consumer will think it was worth the wait! Original Source: http://www.packagingdigest.com/beverage-packaging/chill-can-presents-a-new-twist-in-on-demand-cold-beverages-2018-04-12 Original Date: April 2018 Original Author: Lisa McTigue Pierce CUT AND STACK LABELS, FLEXIBLE PACKAGING, PRESSURE SENSATIVE LABELS, SHRINK SLEEVES PRE-PLANNING GOES A LONG WAY IN PRODUCT LABELING MAY 15, 2018 Designing a label for your products is a big endeavor for your company. It requires companies to consider many different aspects of the product and the end user. Information is gathered and then given to graphic artists who use the collected data to create an end design. This complex process is not something that business’s can ignore. A label designed without consideration of the product and users will ultimately fail. In this installment on label and packaging design we will discuss what goes into the pre-planning process. Pre-Planning for Custom Label Design There is a lot to consider even before taking pen to paper or mouse to screen when label design is involved. Companies need to take time to research their competitors, their target market and demographics, the products packaging material, the shape of the package, and label material options. Once this is accomplished, the information is passed on to the graphic designer and from there they will be able to more effectively create a label for your product’s needs. Designing a product label for your ideal customer means that you have established who your ideal customer is. Consumers respond differently to visual cues like text font, images, and colors. It is important to find out how hold your target market it, gender, values, education level, and familiarity of the brand. Once this has been established you can take this one step further and create a visual aide of the person or people you want the designer to consider when designing the new product label. Knowing Your Competitors Examine your competitors and analyze what they are doing. This will allow you to differentiate your self from them. Everything about their product label should be carefully identified. Take note of the colors used within the label, the font style, images, and ratio of label to package. Similar products often are targeted towards the same demographics. These people are your direct competition. It is important to know everything about their label attributes and do it better. Flexible Packaging And Shrink Sleeve Options There are a number of options available to choose from when it comes to packaging and labeling. One popular option is a package and label all in one in the form of flexible packaging. Another is shrink sleeves where the label is shrunk using heat on to packages of any size and shape. One of the benefits of both of these options is that they offer label designers the ability to design a three-hundred-and-sixty-degree space. Your products label has the opportunity to make or break your product line. Up to 75% of shoppers make buying decisions while in the store. This is what makes the task of designing a products label so crucial. The label must be well-designed, demand attention, and influence consumers into making a buying decision. Learn more about Anchor Printing and their vast line of custom product label & packaging options including: Shrink Sleeve Labels, Flexible Packaging, Roll-Fed Labeling, Pressure Sensitive and Cut & Stack Labels at http://www.anchorprinting.com. To contact one of our label specialists, call toll free at 800.748.0209 or via email at info@anchorprinting.com. CUSTOM LABEL DESIGNFLEXIBLE FOOD PACKAGINGFLEXIBLE PACKAGE DESIGNFLEXIBLE PACKAGE SUPPLIERFLEXIBLE PACKAGINGFLEXIBLE PACKAGING MANUFACTURERFOOD PACKAGINGPRODUCT LABEL DESIGNPRODUCT LABEL MANUFACTURERPRODUCT PACKAGINGSHRINK FILMSHRINK SLEEVESHRINK SLEEVE DESIGNSHRINK SLEEVE LABELINGSHRINK SLEEVE LABELSSHRINK SLEEVE MANUFACTURERSHRINK SLEEVESSHRINK WRAP LABELSSHRINK WRAP SLEEVES INDUSTRY NEWS WORKING TOWARDS A SUSTAINABLE PACKAGING REVOLUTION MAY 14, 2018 The global movement to highlight the enduring environmental and potential health impacts of plastics has kick-started wide-ranging programmes to reduce use and improve recyclability of single-use plastics, and many companies are now exploring sustainably sourced and recyclable materials in a bid to consider the end-of-life impact of their packaging. Sam Jones, Customer Sustainability Manager at DS Smith explores how thoughtful design can streamline the supply chain and reduce overall carbon emissions. and what should businesses bear in mind when they review their packaging choices with regards to sustainability? Problematic lifestyles We live increasingly fast and busy lifestyles with a focus on convenience and disposability and we have little time to buy in bulk, cook from raw ingredients, reuse or recycle. Items such as drinking straws, water bottles, coffee cups, lids and stirrers, cutlery and takeaway packaging are particularly problematic from an environmental perspective. All is not lost though – governments, retailers and brands are now taking action. The EU has recently developed a European Strategy for Plastics in a Circular Economy and some supermarkets are pledging to go entirely plastic-free or have plastic-free aisles. In February, Europe’s first plastic-free supermarket aisle was launched by Dutch supermarket chain Ekoplaza. The company hopes to roll out similar aisles in all of its 74 branches by the end of the year. The plastic-free aisle offers more than 700 products with plastic-free packaging, including meat, rice, sauces, dairy, chocolate, cereals, yogurt, snacks, fresh fruit and vegetables. The challenge of going plastic-free While there are some straightforward moves retailers can make such as changing plastic egg cartons to pressed fibre cartons and charging for plastic bags, there are some areas that will require much more consideration. Plastics have a key part to play in transporting produce and keeping it fresh for longer and when this plastic is also returnable and recyclable, the case for using plastics is compelling. For example, fruit and vegetable producers fill plastic trays with produce which then travels through the supply chain, is placed in fixture in store, emptied, cleaned and goes back to the packer for re-use. The plastic trays offer excellent supply chain efficiencies, and ensure the produce is protected. The trays have a long life span, being used time and time again. In this example, the use of the plastic is arguably the most sustainable option. However, in general there is much more scope for companies to pioneer better design of plastics, supporting reuse, easier recycling and also encouraging the use of recycled plastics where possible. Stronger incentives to simplify, collect, sort and recycle all plastics would undoubtedly lead to a more sustainable future. The proliferation of plastics over the last sixty years has in part been driven by its practicality. Plastics are light, strong, impermeable and cheap. They can be flexible or rigid, inflated and extruded. Innovations in fibre packaging are increasingly offering alternatives. Easy alternatives One area ripe for change is in on-shelf packaging. Some retailers use clear plastic trays that hold packs neatly and present them face-on to customers. The clear plastic makes the product visible and enables strong marketing of the product, however there are plastic-free alternatives available. DS Smith offers retail ready packaging (RRP) made from recyclable corrugated cardboard which has small upstands in the base and holds the product vertically. At 81 per cent, paper and board packaging is the most widely recycled material in Europe. It is designed with the whole supply chain in mind and offers cube efficiencies, meaning it fits perfectly within pallets whereas plastic trays often contribute to space loss of 20 per cent on average. Another innovation is Bag-in-Box flexible packaging solutions. Bag-in-Box packaging offers an environmentally friendly alternative to packaging solutions for transporting liquids. Not only are all the components recyclable, Bag-in-Box produces five times less waste than rigid container alternatives. It is perfect for detergents, wine, juices and other fluids. Some are considering whether shaped bottles could be eliminated entirely as they are not cube efficient in the supply chain. Instead Bag-in-Box would be the more sustainable alternative. Outside of the retail sector, European manufacturers are also considering their part in the plastics revolution. Many currently use plastic to transport their products when corrugated board could work just as well. For example, Finnish company Puustelli Group Oy manufactures high quality kitchen furniture and supplies customers in Finland, Sweden, the Baltic States and Russia. It recently worked with DS Smith to change from plastic to recyclable and environmentally friendly corrugated board packaging. The end result generated significant savings in terms of ordering and warehousing and an increase in distribution speed. It will reduce plastic packaging disposal by 32,000kg, enjoy substantial cost savings through improved protection and strengthen its brand; consumers recognise corrugated board to be recyclable and associate this with a sustainable, responsible brand. As the environmental and potential health impacts become more apparent, regulatory and consumer attitudes towards excessive plastic packaging are changing rapidly. Many companies are now reviewing their approach to single-use plastics. In many cases, plastic packaging solutions may still be the most sustainable option. Regardless of material, we should focus on moving towards a more circular economy, where we minimise the use of raw materials, reduce waste, reuse and recycle. Original Source: https://packagingeurope.com/working-towards-a-sustainable-packaging-revolution/ Original Date: May 14 2018 FLEXIBLE PACKAGING, PRESSURE SENSATIVE LABELS, SHRINK SLEEVES PROFESSIONAL SHRINK SLEEVE DESIGN HELPS INCREASE PRODUCT SALES MAY 10, 2018 Professional shrink sleeve labels are changing how consumer marketers introduce new products and services into the market. Product labeling is one of the principal ways to brand your product while sticking to a budget. Custom product label design as seen in shrink sleeves allows marketers a 360-degree space to lure a potential consumer. Marketing is a major part of having a successful business. Shrink sleeves offer companies a way to boost sales in an economy where attention spans are short and immediate gratification is something consumers seek. If you are looking for a boost for a new product line or just an increase in product sales here are five reasons to consider shrink sleeves: Shrink sleeve labels are designed to fit any product shape or size. Whether you are selling a case of peanuts in plastic peanut shaped container or a standard convenience store milk, shrink sleeves can give you a label that does more than encases your product. Not only are shrink sleeves perfect for individual product labeling they are a perfect way in which to encase the products within the label. Custom shrink sleeve designs can comply with any imaginable product shape. Shrink sleeve labels provide an unparalleled amount of safety from product tampering. Shrinks sleeves totally cover and conform with the product shape while encompassing the entire product, as stated earlier, making it much harder to tamper with. This is one reason that so many food, pharmaceutical, beverage, and chemical companies are using them today. Typical labels only encompass the front of the package leaving the sides and back blank, basically useless space. Whereas shrink sleeves offer 360 degrees of marketable real estate that can be seen from any direction. Marketing is an expensive venture for just about every product manufacturer. Certain product label options are not cost effective for your product. Shrink sleeves however are produced from a thin-film of plastic material and is one of the least expensive options in labeling. It is also the most cost friendly method of labeling if your marketing mix requires your product labels look to change frequently. Another benefit of shrink sleeves in labeling is the huge selection of looks and choices that exist. They can be completely transparent, sparkle, semi opaque, completely solid, and more. When looking to have a custom shrink sleeve design and manufactured for your new product look no further than the professionals at Anchor Printing. They have experience in making shrink sleeve labeling work for you! Learn more about Anchor Printing and their vast line of custom product label & packaging options including: Shrink Sleeve Labels, Flexible Packaging, Roll-Fed Labeling, Pressure Sensitive and Cut & Stack Labels at http://www.anchorprinting.com/shrink-sleeve.php. To contact one of our label specialists, call toll free at 800.748.0209 or via email at info@anchorprinting.com. SHRINK FILMSHRINK SLEEVESHRINK SLEEVE DESIGNSHRINK SLEEVE LABELINGSHRINK SLEEVE LABELSSHRINK SLEEVE MANUFACTURERSHRINK SLEEVESSHRINK WRAP LABELSSHRINK WRAP SLEEVES INDUSTRY NEWS CONSUMERS’ SHIFTING SHOPPING HABITS CREATE PACKAGING CHALLENGES MAY 8, 2018 Will the SmartLabel give you the consumer connection you crave? The internet puts product information in the hands of shoppers. Is the SmartLabel the best way for brands to connect with consumers as they shop, either in-store or online? Consider the pros and cons. Consumers’ shopping habits are rapidly shifting, and those changes are making waves for consumer packaged goods (CPG) companies. The always-accessible internet in the palms of our hands provided by mobile devices, tablets and other computers drives these changes. Consumers increasingly order groceries and CPG products online and use online information during offline in-store shopping. On top of that, federal regulations requiring all CPG companies to be compliant with requirements related to the nutrition panel take effect by 2018, and many companies will have thousands of products affected, across disparate markets, product lines, channels and product variations. To address these changes, many companies are turning to the SmartLabel, an initiative championed by the Grocery Manufacturer’s Assn. (GMA) to provide more transparency to consumers via web pages accessed through a search, quick-response (QR) code, app or retailers’ customer service desks. As with most new technologies and initiatives, however, there are pros and cons to SmartLabel. Let’s take a look at them. SmartLabel Pros The top benefit, of course, is that consumers seeking information on allergens, calories, ingredients and even the use of genetically modified organisms (GMOs) have everything they need at the scan of a QR code. This enables them to make quick, yet confident decisions about which products to purchase. For CPG companies, while there will be some required items to include on SmartLabel landing pages, for the most part, they still control what appears on each of the five designated website tabs. This helps ensure information is delivered to the consumer in a brand-friendly way. Finally, the SmartLabel provides companies with a reliable and informative online presence, which is important for reaching the modern omni-channel consumer who shops both in-store and online. While it’s unlikely that SmartLabel landing pages will be the only web presence for a product, it’s still a reliable source of information for consumers provided in a standardized format, and big companies including Unilever have embraced them as part of their transparency initiatives. SmartLabel Cons While the SmartLabel provides consumers with what they want (transparency), most CPG manufacturers would prefer a dialogue with consumers, in which consumers come to them to discuss the product. The idea of a standardized SmartLabel doesn’t thrill some CPG companies today for a number of different reasons including: • Making so much information available accurately and quickly can be a huge undertaking. • CPG companies work hard to differentiate products through branding; standardized reporting of ingredients across a category may not offer the same opportunity to differentiate. • While some brands want to shine a spotlight on their ingredients list, others would rather not. • Many retailers want—and some are demanding—manufacturers to turn over all of their product information, – even drawings and specs, to enable them to build the best possible shopping experience; manufacturers are wrestling with the question: how much is enough? A balancing act There’s no getting around the changing federal regulations, but the SmartLabel movement isn’t mandatory. So how should CPG companies determine whether to join up and decide how much information they should share? For most, it’s a balancing act. With changing consumer habits, it’s important to have an easily accessible online presence to sway consumers in their purchasing decisions. At the same time, providing too much information can distract from the preferred interactions/conversations brands would prefer. These are the questions companies, specifically many marketing teams who have become responsible for the consumer experience, must answer. For many, changing federal regulations may be the impetus for companies to adopt the SmartLabel since a new load of information must be made available for consumer transparency anyway. By carefully weighing the pros and cons of SmartLabel, CPG companies can begin to determine whether easily accessible product landing pages can be a boon to sales, as well as exactly what information should be included—beyond federal mandate—to ensure everything remains brand compliant. Of course, for companies who decide to jump into the SmartLabel game, label and artwork management (LAM) technologies can help ease the burden by simplifying asset management, design and approval processes across all affected stock-keeping units (SKUs). CPG companies of all shapes and sizes can turn to these automated tools or leverage those they already use for a competitive advantage today or to catch up with competitors tomorrow. As the software as a service (SaaS) model emerges with this type of technology, many smaller manufacturers now have access to many of the same tools as their behemoth competitors. Orignal Source: http://www.packagingdigest.com/labeling/consumers-shifting-shopping-habits-create-packaging-challenges-2018-02-12 Original Date: Feb 12 2018 Written By: Stephen Kaufman FLEXIBLE PACKAGING, PRESSURE SENSATIVE LABELS, SHRINK SLEEVES 5 WAYS FLEXIBLE PRODUCT PACKAGING CAN IMPROVE SALES MAY 2, 2018 Did you know that forty percent of online shoppers say they are more inclined to buy a product that is well-presented? Having a great product on the market is one thing, but what the above statistic suggests is that business owners have a unique opportunity to control how consumers view and engage with their products. Packaging is an extension of your brand identity. How you chose to present your products to the world should speak volumes about your business and innovative packaging can generate a buzz effortlessly without you having to hold a full-blown campaign to advertise or market your product. Exactly what flexible packaging does. It functions as a cost-effective advertising technique that simultaneously protects your product, enhances its aesthetics, inspires confidence, and makes your products stand out. Customers will always respond positively to personalized and creative packaging, therefore, details matter, which is why any effort you put toward making your products as enticing as possible goes a long way. The following are ways that flexible packaging can improve sales: Increased Safety Flexible packing such as stand up pouch bags or resealable zipper pouches are made from FDA approved high-grade materials, which are contaminant-free, safe and strong enough to protect packaged products from physical damage during transportation and exposure from environmental hazards. Consumers are bound to purchase a product that they are confident that it won’t be harmful to them. Convenience Label specialists have ensured that flexible packages are designed with added features such as zip locks, sprouts, resealable seals, to make them re-usable and continent. This ease of convenience has been well-received especially by parents who look are constantly looking for manageable ways to pack their kid’s lunches and its also good news for manufacturers and entrepreneurs because they know that their product will move instead of stalling on the supermarket shelves. Inspires Loyalty Attractive packaging evokes a positive reaction from consumers looking through a wide variety of products. Flexible packaging makes products stand out on the shelves from the competition’s, it increases brand visibility and most importantly, it leads to repeat purchases, increased sales, and referrals from satisfied customers. Environmentally Friendly In addition to enhancing product safety, flexible packaging’s unique attributes allow brands to achieve compactness and durable barrier while leaving the lowest possible carbon footprint. Not only are flexible packages recyclable, but they also reduce, transportation costs, energy output and most importantly, reduce carbon emissions because it’s easier to ship than rigid materials and manufactures can move more products with fewer trucks. Businesses that use sustainable business practices to meet both environmental and consumer demands yield benefits because environmentally-conscious consumers are more likely to become loyal customers. Attractive Packaging How many times have you bought something even though you weren’t planning to just because it looked attractive? The flexible packaging design process produces vivid graphics that not only elicit interest from buyers, but it also evokes impulse buying, which in turn increases sales. Ninety percent of all product purchases are made on instinct, another great reason for an attractive, eye-catching package and label design. Learn more about Anchor Printing and their vast line of custom product label & packaging options including: Shrink Sleeve Labels, Flexible Packaging, Roll-Fed Labeling, Pressure Sensitive and Cut & Stack Labels at http://anchorprinting.com/flexible-packaging.php. To contact one of our label specialists, call toll free at 800.748.0209 or via email at info@anchorprinting.com. CUSTOM LABEL DESIGNFLEXIBLE FOOD PACKAGINGFLEXIBLE PACKAGE DESIGNFLEXIBLE PACKAGE SUPPLIERFLEXIBLE PACKAGINGFLEXIBLE PACKAGING MANUFACTURERFOOD PACKAGINGPRODUCT LABEL DESIGNPRODUCT LABEL MANUFACTURERPRODUCT PACKAGINGSHRINK SLEEVES INDUSTRY NEWS LAMB WESTON PACKAGING DELIVERS HOT AND CRISPY FRENCH FRIES MAY 1, 2018 A from-scratch reinvention of french fry packaging may revolutionize home delivery of an all-time favorite food. The patented Crispy on Delivery solution brings hot, crispy french fries to a consumer’s door, thanks to an optimized packaging design and structure. When you order french fries, you really want them to be fresh fries as in hot and crispy, which is no small feat when you order them from a restaurant to be delivered conveniently to your door. In fact, when can you recall eating home-delivered fries that were anywhere close to restaurant fresh? It would seem to be a Herculean task to make that possible in an economically feasible way. However, with nearly seven decades’ experience making fries and just weeks after a previous breakthrough (Lamb Weston unveils sustainably optimized food packaging) Lamb Weston (Eagle, ID) believes it has achieved that feat using a combination of factors including packaging. The company’s new Crispy on Delivery solution ensures that fries are delivered to customers’ homes still hot and crispy. Crispy on Delivery started with extensive research focused on customer satisfaction for home fry delivery. Lamb Weston identified three key areas that can impact delivered fry quality—the product, the packaging and best practices for from store-to-door delivery. “There’s nothing better than hot and crispy fries—one of the most loved foods in the world,” says Mike Smith, SVP Growth & Strategy, Lamb Weston. “We know we’ve got a solution to help our customers deliver on this. No one knows fries better than Lamb Weston – and our comprehensive approach to hot and crispy fries truly goes from the store to the door.” Traditional fries start to lose their appeal after only five minutes. The lightly battered Crispy on Delivery fries maintain heat and crispiness for thirty minutes. Crispy on Delivery fries travel in style—in a patented paper-based fry cup container with venting technology. The cup leverages strategically placed vents to keep fries warm while also preventing condensation from collecting in the packaging and dampening the fries—and consumers’ experience. Jason Allen, director of global product management and innovation, answers Packaging Digest’s questions. What led to this development? Allen: The primary objective while brainstorming the packaging was to keep fries hot and crispy through the delivery process. Studies show growth in the delivery category/segment so we anticipate this will open up new business opportunities for our company, and will help our customers solve one of their pressing challenges – how to improve the quality of delivered fries. We also feel our “Store to Door” support—preparation and packing tips, to door—optimal delivery strategies and care and handling directions for our operators is a valued feature of the Crispy on Delivery solution. This works through a combination of fries’ coating and packaging? Allen: The packaging and special batter recipe work together to keep the fries crispy longer and to help maintain heat. Neither by itself is as effective as both working together. What’s the specific packaging structure? Allen: The packaging is made from virgin food-grade paperboard and specially designed with air vent features that keep the fries crispy while transporting them to the customer. The package is a patented/pending design. Is this a patented packaging design? Allen: It is patented in several markets around the world and patent pending in the United States. How long was this in development? Allen: We worked with our European partner, Lamb Weston/Meijer, to develop the Crispy on Delivery technology. Although this looks like a simple cup design, from concept to execution of the packaging took more than a year. How critical are the die cut holes and design? Allen: The size, position, and number of vents in the package are all designed to deliver on the Crispy on Delivery promise. This has been optimized with that end in mind. What is the serving size or range of sizes available? Allen: Using the Crispy on Delivery straight-cut fry, the cup packaging is 5.5 oz. Who are potential customers? Allen: Potential customers include restaurants who are actively participating in food delivery or who have interest in exploring delivery. We cannot share which customers are currently testing or investigating this option. Early reaction to Crispy on Delivery fries was positive with restaurant operators rating them higher for overall satisfaction versus traditional fries. Assuming this specialty potato carries a cost premium, what’s the justification for operators? Allen: The operators now have the capability to provide crispy fries to their customers, which they have not been able to do in the past. Good products (crispy fries) = happy customers. Original Source: http://www.packagingdigest.com/food-packaging/lambweston-pkg-delivers-hot-crispy-fires-1803 Original Date: April 2 2018 Original Author: Rick Lingle Posts navigation 1 2 … 21 NEXT → ABOUT US History Earned Trust Blog PRODUCTS Cut & Stack Labels Pressure Sensitive Roll-Fed Labeling Shrink Sleeves Flexible Packaging CAPABILITIES CONTACT US Address: 22790 Heslip Drive Novi, Michigan 48375 Fax: 248-335-6989 CALL US: 248-335-7440 Detroit Office: 800-748-0209