Rigid container award winners run the packaging gamut: ingenious use of both stock and custom components is a common thread among these prizewinning packages

Food & Drug Packaging, June, 2004

>From water to massage oil, from horse lotion to nutritional supplements, products of all sorts found their way into rigid containers--and into the annual awards of the National Association of Container Distributors.

The competition recognizes the best new products packaged in custom or stock containers supplied by NACD members. Gold, silver and bronze awards are given in seven product categories, five of which are in markets that Food & Drug Packaging covers.

FOOD/BEVERAGE

GOLD: El Mexicano Drinkable Yogurt from Marquez Bros., supplied by TricorBraun. The round footprint and double wave on the bottom impart the thick, creamy nature of the product. Sales have increased more than 40% since introduction of this package.

SILVER: Aspen Pure Water, supplied by Zuckerman-Honickman Inc. This customized bottle features a recessed area for distinctiveness and easy handling, a see-through label with a rear-label "background" and ridges that prevent scuffing.

BRONZE: Poison, Viper and Sting liqueurs from White Rock Distillery, supplied by Israel Andler & Sons Inc. The plastic bottle's size and weight (5 inches tall, 25 grams) required an unusual preform size, and the two-color silkscreen label took nine printing passes.

DRUG/PHARMACEUTICAL

GOLD: Olay Vitamin SnapPak from Pharmavite Corp., supplied by TricorBraun. The shape of this package had to take into account multiple factors: It's flat enough for adequate billboarding, narrow enough to reinforce that it's a product for women and compact enough to fit easily in a purse.

SILVER: Timeless Prescription from Lifetech Resources Inc., supplied by Alico Packaging. Clean, crisp and simple stock packaging components give these skin-care products a elegant, customized look.

BRONZE: High Performance and DynamX Nutritional Supplements from Experimental & Applied Science (EAS), supplied by Ryco Packaging Corp. Three of the five versions of these stock bottles come in barbell-like shapes, and the purple tint connotes power.

COSMETICS/TOILETRIES

GOLD: Crayola children's personal care products from Schroeder & Tremayne, supplied by TricorBraun. A combination of customized bottles and stock closures effectively communicates the "fun" aspects of Crayola crayons, while maintaining operational feasibility.

SILVER: Nicole Miller compacts from Melaleuca, supplied by TricorBraun. This line comprises 40 packaging components and 26 pressure-sensitive labels for 16 different eye shadows and eight kinds of blush, all custom-made within six months.

BRONZE: Kitchen and personal-care products for Spicher & Co., supplied by Zuckerman-Honickman Inc. Heavy-grade polyethylene terephthalate (PEI) with flat shoulders, and white/clear tube closures, lend this customized line a distinctive appearance.

PET/VET

GOLD: Absorbine ShowSheen and Ultra Shield horse salves from W.F. Young, supplied by Smith Container Corp (now TricorBraun). They come in 1-gallon high-density polyethylene (HDPE) jugs with modified seams and a "waffle" design on the bottom that can stand up to rough treatment in horse barns.

SILVER: Pup-peroni dog snacks from Del Monte, supplied by All-Pak Inc. This vinyl canister was downsized from an existing mold to fit the size of the stick-shaped treats, with the resin redistributed to ensure smooth label application.

BRONZE: Buck Snort game-luring scent from Evolved Industries, supplied by Berlin Packaging. These bottles are shipped in a floor display box that the retailer can prepare in seconds.

NOVELTY

GOLD: On the Go keychain front Pipedream Products, supplied by Alico Packaging Inc. This small, clear PET bottle comes with a hole for keychain insertion, allowing it to be used for memorable sample or promotional applications.

SILVER: Sinful Sensations Warming Massage Lotion from Pipedream Products, supplied by Alico Packaging Inc. This stock PET bottle was metallized in five hot colors.

BRONZE: Westin Refreshment Center, supplied by All-Pak Inc. Stock tins and lids, combined with crisp, sophisticated label graphics, confers an upscale image on these courtesy snacks.

For more information

Alico Packaging

818-888-7794; www.alicopkg.com

All-Pak Inc.

412-257-3000; www.all-pak.com

Berlin Packaging

504-463-5900; www.berlinpackaging.com

Israel Andler & Sons Inc.

617-387-5700; www.andler.com

Ryco Packaging Corp.

303-375-0440; www.ryco.com

TricorBraun

800-325-7782; www.tficorbraun.com

Zuckerman-Honickman Inc.

610-962-0100