Kiwi Firm Setting Australasian Packaging Benchmark

Pride In Print media release (May 28, 2012)

Kiwi Firm Setting Australasian Packaging Benchmark

Export packaging business is being won for New Zealand by a unique standard in product protection manufactured by Gravure Packaging of Petone (Wellington).

Shelf appeal and brand promotion is also boosted by the packaging, which wraps around and preserves a pre-moistened bar of soap while also preventing the onset of mould. In addition, it features a heat seal layer and boasts high quality graphics due to the gravure printing process.

Produced for Pental Products, the Australian-based manufacturer of Soothing Body Soap, it is thought to be the only packaging of its type being produced in the Australasian region.

Gravure Packaging General Manager Thomas Kaffes says the packaging format, which was initially developed for Unilever and Colgate Palmolive Wellington products, has been revitalised in design for the home care products FMCG (fast-moving consumer goods) market.

“As more and more FMCG manufacturers seek increased quality, high shelf impact, strong brand recognition, just-in-time purchasing demands, smaller minimum order quantities and more competitive pricing, the challenges for all printers continues to climb,” he says.

“That’s just amongst us in New Zealand and Australia -- then once you throw in competition from offshore suppliers, the playing field changes again.

“Regardless of all the challenges, the opportunities continue to present for capable, nimble, service-driven companies to make their mark and thrive, even under current economic conditions. There are exciting times ahead as we seek to push our boundaries, diversify our offerings, strengthen our relationships and rise to meet the challenges presented.”

Describing the technical aspects of production, Mr Kaffes says the various and intricate processes involved are all achieved within just one pass through the production line, which is another reason Gravure Packaging can boast extremely short lead times.

“Containing a specialty anti-fungal additive the paper is surface-printed with six colours and has an adhesive applied to that surface so a PET film can be laminated to it.

“The PET serves a few uses -- it provides a strong exterior surface to minimise scuff and tearing, it is very glossy and it stiffens the over-pack format.

“Then once the PET is glued to the surface, the hot melt is applied to the other side of the paper in a molten liquid form before being passed over a chilled roller to solidify it again.”

Gravure Packaging’s Soothing Body Soap job is one of the contenders in the prestigious Pride In Print Awards 2012 which will be announced at Auckland’s Langham Hotel on Friday June 29.

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