For the second consecutive year the Australian Institute of Packaging have partnered with the Cormack Innovation Awards to offer a $5,000 scholarship to a student participating in the Industrial design program.

The success of the inaugural scholarship program in 2009, which saw talented student Sascha Dal Santo of the University of New South Wales scoop the scholarship with her written essay, was a clear indication to the AIP that the Cormack Innovation program was a suitable partnership for their Certificate in Packaging course.

The tangible nature of the Cormack Innovation Awards, unique to other Awards programs targeted at young designers in Australia, was a natural fit to the Scholarship on offer by the AIP. Both are designed to educate and promote to young industrial design students that there are rewarding and successful careers available within the Australian Packaging industry. To be eligible for the scholarship, which is offered in addition to the 3 month paid internship and $2,500 prize money for the Innovation Awards, students were asked to write a short essay on why they believed that the Scholarship would benefit their future ambitions.

In commenting on the continued partnership with the Cormack Innovation Awards Craig Wellman, National President of the Australian Institute of Packaging said

"The Cormack Innovation Awards program benefits the entire packaging industry providing industrial design students with great opportunities to explore packaging design.  This brainchild of Cormack Packaging remains an excellent initiative and the Australian Institute of Packaging (AIP) is very pleased to be involved.  The AIP will, for the second consecutive time, provide a Scholarship for our Certificate in Packaging course which is internationally accredited in 27 countries. This scholarship will enable the successful student to enhance their knowledge of packaging which combined with industrial design will make them very attractive to FMCG companies around the world."

With the 2010 program now well and truly underway and with a focus on current amendments to the National Packaging Covenant, this year will prove to be the strongest competition of the nine year history of the Cormack Innovation Awards.

For more information regarding the Cormack Innovation Awards, please contact Hayley Lia at hlia@cormack.com.au or visit www.cormackia.com.au for full competition details.

 

As featured in the May 2010 issue of PKN Packaging News, Cormack Packaging discusses the evolution of dispensing closures and technology in Australia, and their ongoing commitment to be at the forefront of closure innovations.

 

The functionality of dispensing closures has evolved from basic sealing and protection to improved dispensing and the creation of a total product experience for consumers. In Australia, Cormack Packaging is one of the pioneers in this packaging sector.

Change in the design and function of dispensing closures has been driven by the evolving needs of both consumers and brand owners. As time-poor consumers have become more product savvy, they have demanded products that offered ease of use, improved accessibility, and greater value for money. Brand owners have realised the importance of adapting their product range to match consumer expectations and to respond to increased competition as a result of globalisation, the growing pressure of private label in the Australian retail environment, and price sensitivity.
Sydney-based specialist in dispensers and closures Cormack Packaging tells PKN it has been at the forefront of innovation in closures and dispensing technology in Australia. Over the past few decades, the company has introduced a broad range of dispensing and closure solutions, including twist, hinge, flip-top, double wall, sports beverage and disc-top closures. It also represents a number of international principals (Rexam, MWV Calmar, GCS - including Zeller and CCS - and Weatherchem), giving its customers access to cutting-edge dispensing and closure technology.
One of the first closure breakthroughs Cormack introduced to the local market was the patented Zeller Butterfly hinged closure, which was launched in the 1980s and is still a top seller today.
"This closure offered a dispensing cap with a flip-lid that was retained for the life of the pack. The flip-lid featured a definitive fold-back position when opened, making it ideal for dispensing a variety of products," says Howard Glinn, Cormack sales and marketing manager.
The launch of Cormack's 28 Long Skirt Sports Cap in 1999 revolutionised the beverage industry by extending the market into new consumer categories, according to Glinn.
"The pull-push closure was a first in Australia and its introduction advanced the successful integration of sports drinks into the athletic and casual fitness markets. The cap allowed hands-free operation and directional flow - optimal for quenching thirst quickly and easily," he says.
Since then, refinement of the beverage sports closure to provide improved pack performance has been ongoing. Cormack's in-house design team continues to work with leading beverage manufacturers and trend experts to interpret consumer's changing needs and design cutting-edge solutions to match these.
The Australian food industry has also benefited from dispensing closure innovation with the launch of Cormack Packaging's 38mm Twist Cap.
"MARS Food was the first customer to see the advantages of the Twist Cap when it combined the closure with its Squeezy Bottle concept, transforming long held traditional views on the way consumers dispensed tomato sauce," Glinn says. "The traditional glass bottle format with a standard flat cap was replaced as consumers and brand owners adopted the innovation with haste."
Further developments in the functionality of dispensing closures has lead to the transformation of various products and food categories, as innovation has allowed more convenient dispensing solutions for a diverse range of product viscosities.

"The incorporation of a valve into a flat topped hinged closure for the honey market allowed the container to be held upside down for better storage and improved product usage." Glinn says. "while improvements to hinged dispensing closures has allowed for more convenient, clean dispensing of a range of chunkier condiments and sauces."

The need for continued improvement and innovation in the functionality of dispensing closures is a key initiative of Cormack's new Product Development Team. The team consists of engineers and designers whose role involves taking a project from concept to commercialisation, from a customers brief through to the final execution of the project.

"The process of new product development is to understand the end users ritual of use, see what the brand owner currently has and develop a better closure for them," says Glinn

The product development team works collaboratively with account managers and designers to translate consumer insights and customer brand strategy into innovative and technically advanced closure and dispensing product solutions.

PKN Packaging News, May 2010 page 16

For more information on the range of dispensing closures featured or for more generalised product enquiries please contact us at www.cormack.com.au

 

 

On Demand- Cormack Packaging's ‘Cowboy' closure requested by NRL elite

Ever wondered how those elite players of the National Rugby League (NRL) stay hydrated? The Cormack Packaging 38mm twist beverage closure known as ‘Cowboy' proved to be the preference recently amongst a number of teams when they requested a range of their favorite Gatorade products to be supplied with the closure for the 2010 season.

Proving to be a more convenient option for players, the Gatorade brand will replace the current 38mm flat cap with the purpose designed closure. The ‘Cowboy' 38mm twist has been designed with the deliverable of easy opening and utilisation during movement occasions, which is ideal for any athlete from elite levels to the casual jogger. The twist design allows users to open and close the closure with the mouth, preventing contamination from fingers and allowing free flowing movement whilst re-hydrating. The shape of the mouthpiece allows for controlled and directional flow during consumption to quench immediate thirst, creating a positive experience for the consumer.

Functionality plays a significant role in the development of any closure by the Cormack Packaging design team. Designers take an approach of placing themselves in the eyes, and in this case lips of the consumer to deliver an exceptional product experience for brand owners. With a distinguished aesthetic from other product closures on the market, the design team went beyond functional performance to deliver a closure that commands stand out shelf presence and memorable consumer interactions.

To view the range of 2010 Beverage Closure innovations and trends from Cormack Packaging, or to find out how the design team can deliver your ideal beverage closure contact the Sales and Marketing team at sales@cormack.com.au