Each year, IMDA holds a Quality Contest to recognize the achievements of the metal decorating industry with entries from around the world judged in eight categories.
NCI Packaging
Finalists this year included Ball’s Terrapin Chopsecutioner craft beer, Ardagh’s Monster Vanilla Espresso two piece beverage, Montebello Packaging Canada Hop beer bottle and NCI Packaging’s Flahey’s Future.
Crown scooped awards for its Zo Session IPA craft beer; La Petit Bastille dark chocolate butter cookies; Dunkin’ Donuts Christmas blend coffee (which won the Grand Award) and Coca-Cola Woodstock design.
Jim Wilson, president, Crown Closures Aerosol and Promotional Packaging, said the Dunkin’ Donuts Christmas blend coffee was available in a 12oz. rectangular shape tin which was an ideal backdrop for the complex printing and decorating techniques used on virtually every side of the package.
He said the first challenge was for Crown’s Midwest Graphics team, based in Aurora, Illinois, to replicate the brand’s color scheme of bright pastel colors, on metal and added visual and textural matte and gloss finishes to create an intricate, subtle wrapping paper pattern that encircles the entire package.
For a final holiday flourish, snowflakes and festive slogans like “joy” and “merry, merry, merry” were embossed onto the tin’s front panel and lid.
“From the beginning, the design was intended to capitalize on the capabilities and properties of metal, including the use of the silver color for the snowflakes and holiday messages,” said Wilson.
Technical challenges
“When bringing the design to fruition, the distinct color palette and use of multiple decorative techniques presented several technical challenges.
“Perfecting the coating application and making sure the inks were cured at exactly the right temperature was critical to the end result that made it onto the shelf. Our teams in Aurora and Belcamp, Maryland, did a spectacular job working in close collaboration with the customer.”
Winning Best of Category in the Two-Piece Beverage category was a limited-edition package created for Coca-Cola to promote the Woodstock music festival in Poland.
Crown’s Bevcan Graphics Studio team, based in Leicester, UK, worked with Coca-Cola to pay homage to the iconic US event, using a kaleidoscope of color inspired by the 1960s-era “flower power” theme.
IMDA 2018 winners:
Award of Excellence: Aerosols & Bottles: Montebello Packaging Canada: Hop beer bottle
Best of Category: Aerosols & Bottles: Montebello Packaging Canada: Arm & Hammer foot powder
Award of Excellence: Closures & Cans: Industrial Litografica Mexico: Captain Morgan
Award of Excellence: Closures & Cans: Shetron India: Nasza Spizarnia
Award of Excellence: Craft Cans: Crown Packaging UK: Zo Session IPA
Award of Excellence: Craft Cans: Ball Corporation USA: Terrapin Chopsecutioner
Award of Excellence: Digital Printing: The Ohio Art Company, USA: Tennessee Whiskey Tray
Award of Excellence: Digital Printing: The Ohio Art Company, USA: State of Michigan Tray
Award of Excellence: Food & General Line: Shetron India: Map Medium Roast
Award of Excellence: Food & General Line: NCI Packaging, New Zealand: Flahey’s Future
Award of Excellence: Miscellaneous: Independent Can Co. USA: Duck’s Unlimited Retriever
Award of Excellence: Miscellaneous: The Ohio Art Company USA: Pirates of the Caribbean
Award of Excellence: Specialty & Fancy Cans: Crown Cork & Seal USA: La Petit Bastille
Award of Excellence: Specialty & Fancy Cans: Crown Cork & Seal USA: Dunkin’ Donuts
Award of Excellence: Two Piece Beverage: Ardagh Group USA: Monster Vanilla Espresso
Award of Excellence: Two Piece Beverage: Crown Packaging UK, Coca-Cola Woodstock
Award of Excellence: The Grand Award: Crown Cork & Seal USA: Dunkin’ Donuts