Member Article

Digital packaging print innovation receives second gold award

A digital packaging innovation has received a second top accolade in 2014 as a result of a collaboration project undertaken by two packaging print firms based in the North East of England.

InterFlex Group’s Sunderland operation, a subsidiary of the Global Flexible Packaging specialists, received ‘Gold for Innovation’ during the recent Starpack Awards, held at the end of September.

The award was given for a crisp packet design that incorporated ‘Packlinc’ – a state-of-the-art package scanning technology, and the creation of Reproflex3, a leading Reprographics company based in Cramlington.

The technology embeds a hidden code within the graphics of the packaging, allowing the Packlinc app, once downloaded, to scan and immediately link the user to a predetermined online destination through their smart device.

In this instance, the app was used on a limited edition Pom-Bear Halloween pack, encouraging consumers to download the app and scan the packaging to find the ‘Ghostly code’.

The Starpack Award follows a separate Gold award win during the EFIA (European Flexographic Industry Association) Print Awards in March.

InterFlex Group’s Andrew Jackson commented: “We are continually looking for opportunities to enhance and expand upon our product offering. We worked very closely with Reproflex 3 on the Packlinc development over a number of months, combining our respective technologies and the high level of expertise that both businesses hold, to arrive at a truly innovative proposition for the flexible packaging sector”.

Reproflex3’s Joint Managing Director, Andrew Hewitson, added: “We are delighted that Packlinc is beginning to establish itself and receive recognition during a time when consumer interaction with packaging is reaching a critical stage.”

“Brand owners and large retailers are looking to firms that can deliver digital innovation in packaging, and this collaboration effort with Interflex Group proves that it is commercially both possible and realistic”

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Reproflex 3 Ltd .