Retail Packaging: Folding Boxes

Over 10% of all medicines supplied worldwide are estimated to be counterfeit. To protect against this, the pharmaceutical industry has special requirements for its cardboard packaging boxes. EU regulation 2016/161 has brought further change to the industry and, as of 9th February 2016, there will be a three-year transition period to ensure certain packaging safety features are introduced into the boxes for all prescription-only medicines entering the supply chain. These features are designed to allow wholesalers and pharmacists to verify drug authenticity through overt, covert and forensic means. Evidence of box tampering or opening must also be made clearly visible. A clever solution from STI Group shows how these new box requirements can be practically implemented. With several visible and invisible safety features, the box combines classic anti-counterfeiting measures with new requirements. Safety features include microtext, ICI and a coating that is only visible under UV light, while a serialized code ensures complete traceability. Other pharmaceutical packaging requirements, such as Braille embossing, can also be met using state of the art equipment at our Hungarian packaging facility.

Food packaging requirements are very stringent regarding the materials, inks and coatings permitted for use. Any box used in contact with food must not transfer any constituents to the product that may endanger consumer health, nor must it affect the composition of the contents. Having the right expertise at the site where the packaging will be developed and produced is critical for successful food industry packaging. STI Group has been using migration-harmless inks and coatings in its packaging production since 2011. Furthermore, only virgin-fibre cardboard or recycled materials with special barrier properties are used to produce boxes that will come into direct contact with food. On request, we can also commission an external accredited testing facility to perform contact migration testing to demonstrate that there is no constituent transfer from box to contents, or vice-versa, if needed.

Good design is fit for purpose, functional and takes into account the requirements of every stakeholder in the process chain; starting with the consumer, ending with the packing site, and not forgetting retail and logistics considerations in between. Structural design and the right material choice are both crucial for optimising cardboard packaging. STI Group’s international design teams also keep the latest folding box trends in mind when translating customer needs into solutions that will work for both the production site and the market. Guided by the mantra "As much as necessary, as little as possible", the packaging is designed to enhance and protect the product but never to be wasteful. Folding boxes can be used as classic product packaging, promotional packaging or gift packaging. Gift boxes often use viewing windows to showcase their contents, giving shoppers the additional confidence they need to make a purchase.

Modern technology offers a wide range of printing and finishing options, which can be simulated right from design stage. Inline finishing, and UV and hybrid technology, makes it cost effective to enhance the printed image. Embossing, debossing and relief embossing of boxes can also be partly done inline, during the die-cutting process. STI Group uses the latest gluing technology to deliver highly efficient finishing. We can offer gluing along longitudinal seams and around contour-cut packaging, and can also handle box designs that require more complex multi-part gluing.