Custom packaging manufacturer Plastic Ingenuity has won the 2018 AmeriStar Award for Health & Beauty Aids packaging. Issued by the Institute of Packaging Professionals (IOPP), the annual AmeriStar Awards honor those who have made outstanding contributions to the packaging community through innovative design. Plastic Ingenuity’s EVO hearing-aid dial battery-package redesign was chosen as a winner based on its forward-thinking, consumer-friendly features.
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The traditional retail shopping experience has shifted dramatically in today’s digital age, as meal delivery, online product ordering, and pre-purchasing services continue to rise in popularity. Online grocery sales alone are predicted to take over $100 billion of the food market by 2025.
By 2025, 70% of consumers will be purchasing food and beverage products online, reaching $100 billion in consumer sales, according to the Food Marketing Institute. To meet the rising demand for digital grocery services, many retailers are adopting e-commerce solutions to supplement their existing brick-and-mortar presence. And to fill online orders for groceries and meal kits, some brick-and-mortar retail grocers are even turning portions of their facilities into miniature distribution centers.
Today, more and more health care product manufacturing, assembly, and packaging processes are using automation to ensure highly efficient, smooth operations.
This shift toward automation is already allowing for a range of benefits, and is expected to continue rising in popularity. Health care automation allows for higher speeds of production, as well as enhanced safety since managers are granted greater control over all processes.
Plus, monitoring the parameters of equipment performance allows manufacturers to rectify issues immediately, ensuring consistently high quality while cutting down on maintenance needs and downtime.
Streamlined traceability is another key advantage, helping brands maintain their reputations as trustworthy leaders in the industry.
The packaging industry is constantly evolving due to a range of factors — in particular, new technological advances and innovations, increasing need for sustainable options, and rising customer demand for convenience without sacrificing quality.
In recent years, many companies have begun making the “Rx-to-OTC switch,” the process of transferring a proven prescription-only drug (Rx) to nonprescription, over-the-counter (OTC) status. Making the shift to OTC availability involves a scientifically rigorous, data-driven process, and medications must meet strict requirements, including a considerable margin of safety, proven efficacy, and comprehensive and clear labeling practices.
Emergency response medical devices are utilized in a wide range of applications, from hospital emergency rooms and ambulances to emergency first-aid kits and natural disaster areas.
No matter the specific scenario, however, medical device packaging must adhere to a number of quality and safety specifications.
While sterility and quality are top concerns, several other factors must be considered as well.
In emergency scenarios, the difference between life and death can be a matter of seconds, so packaging must be able to be opened quickly and easily while remaining tamper-evident for optimal sterility.
Also, emergency rooms, field triage centers, and ambulances all thrust caregivers into hectic work conditions, making clear labeling a high priority.
Finally, emergency response in the field — both for ambulance operation and natural disaster response — necessitates packaging that effectively protects medical devices during transport and challenging operational conditions.
As important as oxygen is to sustaining life, it’s one of the biggest contributors to food spoilage. A chemically and biologically reactive compound, oxygen accelerates the growth of microorganisms responsible for mold, yeast, and other harmful fungi. To prevent food spoilage and keep products fresh, food industry packaging experts turn to various flexible packaging solutions.
When designing packaging that is both functional and aesthetically pleasing, packaging engineers often look to end users for important feedback. Consumer opinions can be challenging for manufacturers to access, however, since the retail industry functions as a middleman.
Retailers have excellent insight into consumers’ preferences, so it’s important for engineers in the custom retail packaging industry to pay attention to retailer decisions and developments, like Walmart’s influential Sustainable Packaging Playbook.
Tips for Avoiding Over Packing
In today’s changing landscape, consumers are increasingly seeking products — and product packaging — that are sustainable and environmentally friendly. Shifting purchasing criteria and mounting environmental concerns are driving innovation, and consumers are becoming increasingly powerful deciders.
