Creative Package Studio: Powering Plastipak’s Innovative Product Design

January 2023

Plastipak’s commitment to cutting-edge innovation has allowed us to remain a global leader in the plastics industry for decades. A long-standing dedication to creativity and looking ahead means our team has a reputation of trendsetting and pushing the boundaries of what the packaging industry can achieve.

We are proud to maintain our edge through our Creative Package Studio (CP Studio), which powers our best-in-class solutions to benefit our clients and deliver against their packaging needs. CP Studio is well-positioned to serve our clients around the globe, with offices in Brecht, Belgium and Plymouth, Michigan.

Let us take you on a tour of how CP Studio operates, so you can understand how this unique tool sets us apart.

Behind the Scenes of our CP Studio

When a client comes to us, we always listen first. Our initial focus is on finding ways we can add value to our clients and their products by asking questions, such as:

  • What about this current packaging could be improved?
  • Does it need to have its shelf life extended?
  • Does the packaging need to weigh less?
  • Do we need to decrease the amount of material used per package?

For example, a food and beverage producer recently came to CP Studio looking to refresh its packaging. Why? After asking the questions above, we realized the client needed to reduce the weight of its packaging to decrease energy costs—without impacting production.

Once we understood what the client wanted, we turned to our talented team of in-house industrial designers, graphic designers, developers and creatives to create several concepts to meet the client’s needs.

Idéer och skapande

Looking at the required parameters, our team brainstormed different ways to meet the client’s needs. The process included a close look at the current packaging, contemplating how we can give the products a competitive edge through its exterior container. It’s like judging a book by its cover.

After a collaborative brainstorming session with the client, our team identified our proprietary innovative ThermoShapeTM technology as the perfect solution. Not only does this option fit the bill for lightweight containers, but the client would receive added benefits from reduced energy costs and freedom of design without any changes to the blow molding and filling process.

Sketching & Rendering

After our team determined the best path forward to improve the client’s packaging, our engineering, marketing and sustainability teams came together to create 7-10 digital sketches of our solutions.

Then, we brought the sketches to life! This step includes running simulated tests of our packaging to show which models work best and which have unexpected flaws.

Virtual & Augmented Reality

Next, we deployed virtual reality and augmented reality to put our ideas to the test. Using a simulated retail space, we directly compared our new designs to both the client’s current products and competitors’ packaging to see how our new concepts would stand out on shelves.

3D Printed Prototypes

Finally, once we perfected our initial designs, we fabricated a 3D-printed model of the new packaging. This step enables the client to hold, feel and see the new design before signing off.

After experiencing the new packaging design first-hand, the client approved the direction and set a new course for its brand with a fresh direction.

Ready to give your products’ packaging a new look? Contact us to learn more about how we can collaborate.

Plastipak Packaging, Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary of Plastipak Holdings, Inc., is a world leader in the design and manufacture of high-quality, rigid plastic containers for the food, beverage, and consumer products industries. Plastipak  is also a leading innovator in the packaging industry, having been awarded over 500 United States patents for its state-of-the-art package designs and manufacturing processes. Plastipak operates more than 40 sites in the United States, South America and Europe, with a total of over 6,500 employees. Its customers include some of the world’s most respected and recognized consumer brands. Plastipak is also a leading innovator in the packaging industry, holding more than 420 United States patents for its state-of-the-art package designs and manufacturing processes. In addition, Plastipak licenses various packaging technologies around the world.  Plastipak was founded in 1967 and is headquartered in Plymouth, Michigan. Additional information about Plastipak can be found at its website www.plastipak.com 

Statements in this press release concerning Plastipak’s intentions, expectations or predictions about future results or events are “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such statements reflect management’s current expectations or beliefs, and are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results or events to vary from stated expectations, which variations could be material and adverse.  Forward-looking statements speak only as of the time made, and the Company assumes no obligation to publicly update any such statements.