Firms breathe new life into paper and board

Decoration and shaping technologies for board and paper are creating new opportunities particularly in confectionery, as witnessed by visitors to the recent ProSweets show in Germany.

Among exhibitors at the event, which ran alongside the ISM confectionery show in Cologne, was central European carton specialist RLC packaging group. Sales director for confectionery Miguel de la Poza explained that some techniques were being introduced from the cosmetics sector, which is another of its key markets.

"Laser gloss, for instance, is a great technology which allows you to reproduce holographic effects using a ultraviolet coating on all or some of the carton surface," he said. "You can create micro-embossing, micro-structures or a special finish." The fact that it can be applied in-line makes it especially cost-effective, he added.

The group claims to be the only converter able to combine this technique in line with another emerging process: cold foil lamination. "This is cheaper than hot foil, but only over certain minimum volumes," de la Poza explained. "It's more demanding to set up, but ends up being more cost-effective, partly because it eliminates one stage of the process."

Liquid metal, another technology, uses a special metallised pigment in the ink to produce on an offset press effect that would otherwise only be achievable in rotogravure printing. Again, this makes the effect more cost-effective as an in-line process, says de la Poza.

UK operations supplied by RLC include Wrigley, Mars, Nestlé and the small gum producer Peppersmith. De la Poza sees the gum segment as currently offering particular opportunities.

When it comes to shaping, another ProSweets exhibitor Chesapeake was demonstrating its 'low-energy' Impressions technique for creating debossing and surface texture.

Said marketing and communications manager Bob Houghton: "It's been available for about a year, but has evolved dramatically over that period. The latest trials have been amazing and we've shown several large confectionery brands how it can enhance their brands. The results are very favourable, and we're expecting one of these brands to adopt it soon."

One recent success for Chesapeake has been the introduction of 1kg cartons of Cadbury's Heroes, formerly packed exclusively in tinplate containers. This provided a 45% weight reduction, as well as major space efficiencies in transit.

New shaped prototypes from RLC included packs with rounded edges and corners, and pocket packs with new opening and dispensing systems.