Press release
7 Oct 2011, 8:30 CET

Design Challenge 2011 award to Chesapeake pack based on Billerud FibreForm®

Chesapeake’s Impressions™, a unique renewable packaging range based on Billerud’s FibreForm®, won Design Challenge 2011 at the largest packaging exhibition in the Nordic countries, Pack & Emballage. The winning packaging concept was selected by the people visiting the exhibition, when asked to vote on their personal favorite.

Chesapeake has developed the FibreForm material to offer its customers unique paperboard concepts that can provide truly dynamic 3D shapes to any pack.

“We are delighted that people from the industry who are packaging professionals have selected our product as number one. This clearly shows that the shelf appeal and the new brand image opportunities that smarter packaging can offer are attractive on the market.” says Armin van Overbeek, Sales & Marketing Director, Sustainable Packaging Solutions at Billerud.

The range marketed under the Impressions™ brand name uses a specialist low energy process to form the paperboard material into a complete range of distinctive shapes. It can be modeled to resemble plastic formings such as sachets and even blister packs, so providing a truly versatile cartonboard solution for personal care, food, pharmaceutical and beverage applications.

“We have pioneered a completely new way of shaping board,” explains Bob Houghton, Marketing and Communications Manager at Chesapeake. “We have been able to take advantage of the unique flexibility of Billerud’s FibreForm to create shapes and effects that simply are not possible with conventional board. And we are developing new technology to make large-scale production of Impressions™ both fast and cost-efficient.”

“In the 12 months that Chesapeake has been working with Billerud we have produced exciting proto-types for consumer products in the shape of oranges and lemons as well as deeply embossed shapes on secondary packaging. We have found ways of billowing out the board so it looks like plastic sachets and we have even made FibreForm blister packs. And, of course, depending upon the barrier requirements of the product, all of these packaging products can be recycled.”

Impressions™ based on FibreForm also offers a clear environmental advantage as an alternative for products currently packed in plastic forming. FibreForm is FSC-certified and is made from renewable raw materials that also ensure compostable and recyclable packaging.