APC wins nine FPA Achievement Awards

Presented by the Flexible Packaging Association, the awards showcase the industry’s latest innovations and advances that have changed the packaging. The competition winners exhibit flexible packaging that meets expectations and needs through advancements in materials, graphics, structure, new uses, extended shelf life, and sustainability. 

This year, the Flexible Packaging Association received a record number of entries for the competition, which has seen a total of 325 entries. Twenty-seven packages have been honored with 43 Achievement Awards.

Beachbody’s Cookies & Creamy Shakeology took home a gold award in the Sustainability category, a silver award in the Shelf Impact category, and a silver award in Packaging Excellence. APC was able to engineer and develop each layer of the Beachbody package to contain recycled content materials. The Cookies & Creamy Shakeology pouch is a flexographically printed, multi-material lamination produced at APC’s Story City, Iowa, Center of Excellence. APC makes Beachbody’s package jump to consumers' attention through a variety of inputs. The quality of photographic images produced was vital, as was the combination of the highest-quality separations, HPE Flexo high-resolution plate imaging, state-of-the-art printing presses, and the most skilled press technicians who use advanced processes and procedures to achieve the desired outcome.

Nestlé Canada’s Smarties earned a gold award in Technical Innovation, a gold award in Packaging Excellence and a silver award in Sustainability. In collaboration with Nestlé Canada, APC advanced sustainable efforts to provide consumers with an FSC-certified, paper-based version replacing the traditional fossil fuel film-based packaging for the Nestlé Smarties confection brand pouch. APC’s experience in paper and sustainable barrier coatings was critical to arrive at a paper and coating combination beyond the standard portfolio. The result was a toughened grade of paper that met durability requirements and provided a synergy between a special heat seal coating and the paper’s fibers.

Lamb Weston’s Alexia Bio-Based Packaging won a gold award in the Sustainability category and a silver award in Packaging Excellence. The film used in the packaging for Lamb Weston’s line of Alexia Organic frozen potato products is partially made from plant-based starches, 16 percent by weight, including a processing bi-product from the manufacturing of French fries contained in the packaging. The packaging replaced plastic material with bio-based content and found a new home for French fry bi-product that would otherwise be considered food manufacturing waste.

John Soules’ Rotisserie Seasoned Chicken Breast with Rib Meat earned a silver award in Technical Innovation. APC provided a laser score with a controlled depth that keeps the package integrity and allows an easy-open feature for the consumer. A unique property of the design is a noticeable ‘pop’ when the score is broken, giving the consumer a sensory clue that the package has not been tampered with.

‘To be recognized as a Flexible Packaging Award winner is truly an honor for APC,’ said Ray Graham, EVP and COO of American Packaging. ‘We continue to look for opportunities to solve brand-owner challenges using the latest technology while striving to deliver unmatched quality of materials and the most innovative packaging possible to deliver a high-quality product every time.’

APC is featured along with other winners in the latest issue of L&L magazine. Follow our Instagram page to see all 27 winning packaging projects in the coming weeks.