Companies constantly innovate with technology and redesign their packaging to get better performance, improve marketability and enhance sustainability. Here’s a look at four recent packaging solutions on Packaging Dive’s radar.
Listen to the lid
KFC Canada is making the holidays more musical. It released a limited-edition chicken bucket lid that can be used as a record. The record is printed on paper bucket lids, and the grooves are etched into a vinyl coating. It’s playable on any record player, the fast-food company said in a YouTube video.
Four traditional holiday tunes are layered with specialized background sounds, such as the sound of chicken frying or paper wrapping. The records also come with a custom protective sleeve.
KFC called the dual-purpose lids “Super rare, super limited” in an Instagram post announcing a giveaway for 10 of them.
Mod squad
Greif introduced ModCan, an industrial modular packaging solution for use with 55-gallon steel, plastic or fiber drums. ModCan is ideal for shipping and storing different materials, such as chemicals and waste, in the same drum, according to a company news release.
Multiple wedge-shaped plastic containers can fit together snugly in a drum for up to 82% volume use in a standard barrel. That also allows for a reduction in the number of shipments needed, the release says. ModCan is a less costly and time-consuming option compared with the commonly used method of filling gaps in drums with the mineral vermiculite.
The handles are ergonomic for easy placement and removal, while the spout on top offers easy filling and dispensing, according to the company. The containers are available in 1.75- and 3.75-gallon sizes.
Cristal clear
Finland-based Ahlstrom launched MasterTape Cristal, a paper-based transparent tape backing intended to be an alternative to plastic. The company says the product is recyclable and suited for compostability.
The product offers similar strength and transparency to conventional plastic pressure-sensitive adhesive tape, according to a company news release. Ahlstrom says plastic tape comprises about 80% of those on the market.
“We have developed a breakthrough product that enables the transition from plastic to paper, something that previously was not achieved for transparent materials,” Sebastien Ferrari, product manager at Ahlstrom’s tape business, said in the release.
Fiber flex
Flexibles producer American Packaging Corp. expanded its line of RE Sustainable Packaging products with the introduction of paper-based solutions with high-barrier performance. The product is targeted for curbside recyclability and provides an alternative to laminated flexible packaging that contains plastic or foil, according to a news release.
The material is suitable for flat or stand-up pouches, especially for dry goods, the company says.
